Dream Fragments
by Charon759
Summary: Ash in love, A coordinator from Sinnoh, Professor Oak kidnapped and an alliance between the crime sindicates. Palletshipping inside, don't like it? don't read it. Reviews and opinions apreciated.
1. A trainer from Sinnoh

"So this is Pallet Town" Jaime told himself quietly "Well what do you think Rosene?" Jaime spoke to his Roselia "It almost looks… magical coming out of the horizon like that don't you think?"

"Rose…" Rosene looked at her trainer, who was gazing at the town emerging from the horizon with an almost nostalgic stare.

The ferry from Hoenn to Kanto had taken three days, three totally wasted days, no battles, no friends, and missing the pokemon contest that he was supposedly going to do with Rosendo and Dawn. Even Lukas himself had agreed to go and see them perform.

"Why on earth did I offer myself volunteer to help Rowan? Lukas could have done it… he doesn't participate in the contest…"

Roselia looked up at her trainer reproachfully

"Rose! Roselia! Ro!"

Jaime looked down at her and smiled at his pokemon's comment.

"Ok so he did give me my supposed starter and my pokedex, you are right Roselia, there is nothing wrong with helping him by delivering this…" His stare lowered to the envelope on his hand, the same envelope he had been staring at ceaselessly for those three days in the ferry trying to guess what it might say.

"Besides" He smiled "We can do some tourism around! No one in the family has yet placed a foot on Kanto!"

"Roselia!!!" The pokemon beamed.

"Ash get up already!"

…

"ASH!"

"Whoa whoa whoa!! Mum! I am only wearing my boxers!"

Ash blinked and saw his mum in a kicking position with her eyes closed shut.

"It must be something really important if she kicked the door open…"

"Good morning dear, I got breakfast ready downstairs, I just thought I'd wake you up because today Oak asked you to go to the lab remember?" Delia smiled wit her eyes still shut.

"Damn! The lab!"

A hurricane formed in Ash's bedroom out of it jumped a fully awake and dressed Ash Ketchum Pokemon trainer with a half sleeping pikachu dangling on his shoulder.

"bye mum!" Ash pecked his mum on the cheek ant rushed outside like a bolt of greased lightning.

"Ash?"

Delia was standing in front of her sons room with her eyes strongly shut.

"Pikachu, wake up already will you!? You can't arrive in the lab asleep on my shoulder!"

"Chaaaa"

Pikachu yawned and blinked, what is this? He could only see blurs! Suddenly Ash stopped dead on his feet and pikachu was propelled forwards onto Oak's laboratory door.

"Pikachu!!"

Suddenly the door opened and a pair of hands got caught of pikachu.

"You really should take better care of your pokemon Ashy boy"

Ash raised his eyes from pikachu onto the twinkling green gaze that along with the superior grin could only belong to one person in the whole world.

"Gary! Boy am I glad you were here! You saved my pikachu from, er, from"

"Squishing itself to a pulp because of your poor sense of attention"

Ash looked downhearted.

"Come on Ashy, you know I am kidding, come inside!" He smiled, pikachu jumped from his shoulder onto the floor and smiled, letting Gary go inside first.

"Why thank you pikachu!" He laughed.

Pikachu made signals to Ash so he would cross too. As soon as Ash walked behind him Pikachu smirked evilly and shocked him from the back.

"I got the picture…"

"Pika!" Pikachu smiled.

Ash stepped through the entrance hall and into the lab itself he made a hand gesture to Tracey who absent mindedly returned it while looking at an endless rain of digits in one of the computer screens.

"Oh Hi professor"

"Ash my boy! So please to see you again! My my, you are singed, just like the first day over five years ago, do you remember Gary?"

Gary laughed and winked at Ash

"How could I forget, first thing I see after I get my Eevee is an Ash running around in pyjamas half singed by his pikachu and still shell shocked due to the discharge!"

"Hey!" Ash looked at his best friend angrily but started laughing when he saw that both him and the professor were cracking up, even Tracey was sniggering under his breath while counting digits.

Still with tears in his eyes the Professor turned back to Ash while Gary was still chuckling.

"Well Ash, you see a friend of mine from the Sinnoh region, Professor Rowan wanted to send me an envelope containing a letter and a chip for our latest pokedex improvement which I am to finish off"

Ash nodded wondering what the professor might want.

"You see Ash, we didn't want to send it by mail in case the chip might suffer damage, so he sent one of his young trainers, Jaime over with the materials, His Ferry is going arrive in the harbour any minute now and I wanted you to go and collect him, take him here and then, if you don't have any other immediate plans maybe you could give him "the tour" around Pallet"

Ash grinned, he liked the professor being able to count on him.

"Sure thing professor, Gary, you coming?"

To his great dishearten Gary shook his head slowly.

"Sorry Ashy, But I am going to Mt Moon right now to see the phosils, new things have been found, and I am not talking only of pokemon fossils, there is supposed to be a chamber of some sort there, and as pokemon investigator I think I ought to go investigate!"

Ash looked at the floor, then rushed at Gary and hugged him. Gary looked surprised but accepted the hug, Ashy-boy was always like that, so huggable and childish needing to hug everything to say goodbye.

"Ok professor, so how does this Jaime guy look?"

Jaime stepped out of the docks and waited while kneeling against the wooden archway at their entrance, he still couldn't walk straight after three days on the ferry, he almost thought that the ground was too static to be normal.

"You feeling the same too Rosene?"

Rosene was zigzagging along when she suddenly tripped and fell flat on the ground.

"Maybe you should take a rest… Rosene, return!"

A beam of red light shot our of the pokeball he had just taken out o his pokeball pocket and absorbed the roselia back in for a well deserved rest.

"I wish I could go in a pokeball too…" Jaime muttered

Ash ran toward the docks at top speed a growl of pikachu reminded him what would happen if he stopped abruptly so he slowed down. The docks were deserted! Damn! Had he arrived too late? Maybe he shouldn't have stopped to order a burger on the way, but heck he was starving. He paced around a little and found another boy looking at him from the back of the archway kneeling against it.

"That's got to be him!" Ash thought. The boy fitted with Oak's description perfectly! He was about one meter sixty, thin, pale, and with sleek blonde hair falling over his deep, emerald green eyes. Jaime was wearing black trainers, a pair of dark indigo jeans ripped up at the knees, an orange long sleeved shirt with the legend "Temperamental Artist" a small waist pack and a normal, green trainer backpack, he wore three black and silver bracelets on his right hand, a black watch on his left and a thin silver chain on his neck. Ash couldn't help but think that for a boy's standard, this Jaime was actually quite good looking.

"You are Jaime right?"

Jaime looked at the boy who had just spoken, he had sparkling auburn eyes, jet black messy hair and tan skin, he was wearing a plain, black T-shirt, jeans and white trainers, he also had a Pikachu sitting in his shoulder. Jaime blushed slightly, the boy seemed older and fitter he was quite attractive; he pushed the thought away and limited himself to answer.

"So I am and who might you be?"

"Hi! My name's Ash, I am from Pallet, Professor Oak told me to come and collect you, am I too late?"

Jaime smiled

"Not at all, I was just kneeling here to recover from my original dizziness, three days on a ferry don't do much for your sense of balance"

Ash laughed at the comment, this guy was fun.

"Ok, so now I am taking you to Oak's lab, after that, if you aren't tired we can go see Pallet town"

"Fine with me, but I need somewhere where I can leave my pokemon, I have the feeling their first ferry voyage was quite and adventure for them"

"We can leave them at Oak's lab, no problem, so you are a trainer?"

"Coordinator, but I am a decent fighter too if that's what you wanted to know. What about you?"

Ash smiled smugly.

"Trainer, so far I have participated in the Kanto, Orange, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh region leagues"

Jaime stopped on his tracks.

"Wait, so you are The Ash Ketchum?!"

Ash nodded "Oh, and before I forget this is my best pal pikachu!"

"pika!" the yellow pokemon raised his hand in salute.

"Then you are the one Dawn keeps talking about!"

"You know Dawn?" Ash asked.

"Of course, She, Lukas, Rosendo and I are best friends!"

"Oh well, say hi to Dawn from me when you see her again ok?"

Jaime nodded and the said abruptly.

"Can we have a pokemon match?"

Ash turned and smiled at him.

"You just said your pokemon need to rest"

Jaime opened his mouth but stopped, Ash was right.

"Well, I suppose I could wait for a while"

Ash nodded and lead the way to the lab. He couldn't help but think that in a way Jaime reminded him of Gary, the way of speaking and challenging him just like that. He blushed at the thought of Gary, ever since the silver conference and their friendship had been restored Ash was constantly thinking about telling him his true feelings. He was snapped back to reality by Jaime.

"So, after we deliver the professor this letter, what stuff is there to do here?"

Ash blinked and thought, what could they do after he gave Jaime the tour? Cinema? Bowling? Shopping? What would he like?


	2. This looks like you are dating me

I forgot to do my disclaimer before, so, here it goes.

No matter how I keep trying to be a good boy Santa did not give me the pokemon company this year, so the only thing that truly belongs to me is the idea in which this fanfic is based on and of course, the character Jaime.

Thanks to my reviewers, ChaseVoid and Black Millenium. Thanks guys!

Chapter 2: This looks like you are dating me

Jaime was astonished by Oak's lab. Not only did he run around driving and the professor himself insane with questions about the use of the different machines but he practically shouted out with joy when he saw the huge field behind the lab where the professor kept all the pokemon they send him. Ash showed him all of his pokemon Jaime talked with all of them cheerfully.

"You certainly seem happy"

"Can't help it, I love pokemon, and these look spectacular!"

Ash smiled proudly, he liked it when people praised his pokemon, shame Gary didn't do it more often. When they decided to go to the lab and Jaime said goodbye to Ash's pokemon they finally returned to the sitting room and collapsed on the sofa. Tracey had taken a break from his job and prepared soft drinks, which he served on the table.

"So where were you before Rowan send you with this errand?

"Hoenn, Dawn and I had already travelled through all of Sinnoh, so when we met each other and talked about our friend we decided to take on the Hoenn contest because Lukas and Rosendo had gone there to challenge the league"

"Oooh, yeah" piped in Ash "How is Dawn?"

"Great, she is a really good coordinator, too bad for her I am not making things easy for her"

"How many Hoenn ribbons have you got?"

Jaime rummaged around in his bag and extracted his ribbon case which he showed off proudly. Inside where three perfectly polished Hoenn ribbons.

"Snazzy" Jaime smiled smugly at Ash's coment "How many does Dawn have?"

"She also has three, only it's probably four by now, you see I skipped a contest to help Rowan deliver the letter, and I really doubt Rosendo would stand a chance against her"

"Who?"

"Rosendo, he is a friend of ours, hyperactive, he is really a trainer only he got in a row with Dawn and signed up for the contest"

Ash and Jaime kept chatting even after Tracey announced he was going back to work. Only when the professor entered did Jaime wonder how much time they had been there.

"Ash! I thought you were showing Jaime around Pallet Town! You should hurry up before the restaurants close and get some lunch!"

"No, professor, I am not hungry" Jaime silenced as his stomach betrayed him and roared.

The professor shook his head and smiled, he gave Jaime his pokeballs with his pokemon, fully restored and busied himself with the kettle.

"So, prof, we are going, how is the new pokedex by the way?"

Oak looked up from the kettle and smiled proudly.

"The information Rowan picked on the pokemon characteristics is incredible, and he even added a section on some legendary Sinnoh pokemon, along with the data I stored I daresay this new pokedex will be quite astounding"

Ash smiled and left the room, Jaime thanked the professor and followed Ash outside.

Ash was crouching down tickling his pikachu, Jaime stopped in the door and leaned against it as to not interrupt them. It was really incredible the way Ash got along with all of his pokemon, playing, joking, speaking with them.

"I guess it's not a wonder he is such a famous trainer" he thought.

Ash noticed him and stood up, pikachu jumped on his shoulder smiling.

"should we get going?"

They walked around Pallet stopping to look at the shop fronts, Jaime tried to head to an ice cream parlour but Ash's arm caught him.

"We are going for lunch! And trust me were I am taking you you'll need plenty of space!"

Jaime raised his eyebrows slightly but smirked and put his moneybag back in his pocket.

"I might looks skinny, but rest assured, I eat like five growing boys"

Ash laughed

"Then you and I must be long lost brothers!"

They arrived at an old diner with the pleasant air of a building that had hosted hundreds of people.

"Don't be fooled by the rickety appearance, the place is really good" Ash commented a bit ashamed.

"No need to say anything, the place looks really great, besides its almost full!" Jaime liked old buildings; he alone in his family was interested in arts and architecture, which was why he became a pokemon coordinator despite his brother constantly picking on him.

The diner was very full but Ash quickly spotted a table for two in one of the corners and dragged Jaime there.

Almost immediately a waitress that looked like she knew Ash pretty well appeared with menus.

"Wow, Ash… everything looks great, I really don't know what to pick…"

"Well, pikachu and I always pick a triple cheese burger with fries and a cholate milkshake"

Ash sounded uneasy as he said his suggestion, but Jaime thought it sounded heavenly.

"Great, well, that's one more of those for me!"

"You serious!?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Just one of my friends, a Kanto gym leader actually, always tries to wring my neck when I suggest something like that, she says I am not sophisticated enough"

"Who needs to be sophisticated when it comes down into a plain old lunch?"

Ash laughed openly

"That's what I told her"

The waitress returned and they gave her their orders. While the food was being prepared they talked about trivial things, their life, their ambitions, their favourite food, colours…

Ash was very glad he could have a decent conversation with someone who hadn't known him for years. Lately all the people that met him only asked him about his pokemon, wanted him to show off his medals or swooned over him.

When the food was brought along Jaime gazed at the enormous hamburger brought in front of him. Ash caught the look in his face and laughed.

"I told you this place wasn't for amateurs" He mocked.

"We shall see who the amateur is by the time we finish!" Jaime smirked.

Half an hour later a very bloated Jaime was lying on his chair gazing at the very last chip speared at the tip of his fork, eating it would mean he could still save some of his honour, but he looked at Ash once more, he had finished his plate ten minutes ago and he didn't look as though he was about die, the battle was lost anyway.

Jaime put his fork down.

"Ok, ok you win"

"Aaw, you did very well considering it was your first time here!"

Ash asked for the bills as Jaime slowly recovered from the hamburger. By the time he was fully restored he noticed Ash paying the bill, he rushed over and poked him on the shoulder.

"You forgot my part" handing him a few bills.

Ash shook his head.

"My treat"

"Come on! It's not fair I should be the one paying because you showed me around!"

"Well, you are not. Save the money for tonight, we can go bowling with Tracey when he finishes work"

Jaime smiled evilly

"This looks like you are dating me" He teased.

Ash blushed redder than a pokeball top.

Jaime smiled at his reaction and went outside to wait for him. He spotted pikachu in a nearby tree happily chomping away at its berries an leaned against it.

"pika!" pikachu saluted.

Jaime waved back smiling.

"You know you are very lucky to have a trainer like Ash you know?"

"Pika?"

"I wonder… he doesn't look like the homophobic type, maybe I should tell him…"

"Chuu…"

"But it can wait, first I want to know him better" Jaime added silently.

"Oi! You two! Come on! Let's get to the lab and see if the professor has freed Tracey from his duties yet!"

Ash ran past quickly grinning widely. Jaime stared with his eyebrows raised and broke into a smile as well as into a race chasing him through Pallet town.

They arrived at the lab panting and sat outside to catch their breath. A choleric pikachu appeared from behind them and shocked them into a tree for not waiting. The resulting crash made three figures drop from the branched and upon the boys.

The three figures stood up and backed away quickly, one of them, a woman with weird pink hair was shouting at the other two, a meowth and a man in lilac hair.

"I told you two idiots this place was no good! We should have hidden behind the bushes!"

"Yeah, so they could trample on us on their way here right?" The lilac haired man answered.

"Besides it was your idea to hide in this stupid twee!" The cat pokemon piped up.

Jaime stared confusedly at this peculiar trio and asked Ash in a low voice as if dealing with insane people.

"Who are these guys?"

"The team rocket trio, they have been following me for five years now, but it's been quite some time since I last saw them…"

"Team who?"

The rockets looked at Jaime with unbelief. The pink haired woman asked him rudely.

"Surely you have heard of the great team rocket haven't you child?"

"Why, we are the greatest crime syndicate in the Kanto and Johto regions!" The lilac haired man added.

Jaime just raised his right eyebrow.

"In Sinnoh we have a group of psychopathic lunatics called team Galactic, but never heard of any team rocket"

The cat pokemon looked gleeful as he spoke to his fellow comrades.

"Guys! This means we get to say our motto to this twerp and be actually listened to!"

The pink haired lady and her companion looked over enthusiastic on this possibility.

"James lets do it! Finally someone will listen to us!"  
"Right Jessie! This will be our best motto yet!"

"Great work Jaime" Groaned Ash "Now you got them going"

The rockets posed and recited.

"You child don't know us let us give you the show"

"Trust us, you'll like it! It'll be a blow!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James"

"Team rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!"

"Oooh I think we impressed him!!!" The rockets said thrilled.

"That's… pathetic"

"We don't have time for this, let us through" Said Ash.

"Sorry twerp but, no chance, some other members are working in there"

Ash's casualness at dealing with them snapped away in an instant.

"What are you guys doing in the lab?! Let us trough!!"

"We will have to battle to go in Ash, but you only have pikachu with you, are you up to it?"

"Yeah, lucky these guys pokemon aren't particularly good…"

"Wrong again twerp" Jessie said in a sing-song voice.

"The boss gave us new pokemon to make sure we wouldn't fail!"

"Crobat, go!" Shouted Jessie

"Rhydon, let's crush them!" Shouted James

"Meowth you too!!" They shouted together.

"Damn, three pokemon at the same time, Pikachu you'll have to do your best!"

"Don't stress"

Ash looked back at Jaime, his face was suddenly stern and cold, an ugly look headed straight for the rockets.

"If it's three on three they want, it's three on three they get. Rosene! Leafeon! Take the stage!"

The thorn pokemon and the fox-like Eevee evolution sprang out of their pokeballs along with a rain of black pink and orange petals.

"Poke-seals, tell you later" Jaime smirked at Ash's look.

"Plant pokemon are pathetic! Crobat wing attack!"

"Crush them with a drill horn Rhydon!"

"Meowth! Fury swipes!" The rockets shouted together.

"Pikachu! Shock Crobat away from Roselia and Leafeon!"

"Rosene! Dodge that clumsy tank and use leech seed on it! Leafeon, wood hammer Meowth!"

Pikachu's bolt was dodged by the four-winged bat pokemon but it managed to steer him away from course. As Jaime predicted, Rhydon was quite a power house, but he was big, slow and therefore clumsy, Rosene easily jumped on top of him throwing seeds all over and jumped behind him. Meowth was thrilled with the idea of battling, he was scratching all over, finally Leafeon ran over receiving quite a few scratches but slammed the wood hammer straight in Meowth's face. The scratch cat pokemon was rammed backwards with his teeth half hanging, he mumbled about substituting that stupid Persian as the boss's plushie pet and fainted on the floor.

"Oh no, Jessie! They have the upper hand now!"

"Don't be stupid James we can't fail this mission! Crobat, slam Pikachu out of your way!"

"Pikachu!! Trust me buddy! Stand your ground!"

Pikachu balled his fists and look at the oncoming Crobat in a challenging way.

"Right! Rhydon! Body slam Leafeon and stomp on Roselia!"

Ryhdon roared and ran towards Leafeon.

"Pikachu! Shock him now!"

"PIKAAA!!!!"

Crobat was barely inches away when pikachu released his discharge neatly frying him, Crobat fell a few meters away fainted.

"Crobat return! James! It's all in your hands now! Crush them!!!"

"Don't think so, Rosene! Leafeon! Let's show these fools how to coordinate! Leafeon! Razor leaf! Rosene! Magic leaf!"

Jaime had waited until Rhydon's running to charge Leafeon had put him right between the plant pokemon. Leafeon growled and started shooting razor-sharp leaves at the ferocious rhino pokemon, Rosene struck him from behind with some beautiful colour changing leaves. When both attacks combined, a storm of sharp leaves and rainbow coloured leaves surrounded Rhydon thrashing him around.

"Pikachu! Thunderbolt on his horn now that he can't move!"

"Pikaaachuuuuu!!!!"

Pikachu's thunderbolt caused the attack combo to explode revealing after the smoke faded a very singed Rhydon.

"Rhy-rhy-rhydon! Return!"

"This twerps always beat us!"

"Time to meowth our escape!"

"Keep dreaming, Rosene! Sleep powder them!"

The rockets collapsed on the floor snoring loudly.

"Thanks Jaime, you are a really good trainer, I mean, coordinator… or whatever, you know what I mean"

Jaime smiled and nodded, his gaze hardened as it fell on the building next to us.

"We have to see what's wrong in here, take these" He said handing over Rosene's and Leafeon's pokeballs.

"What about you?"

"I still have four more pokemon on me, and trust me, they are more then capable of defending me"

Ash patted him on the back showing his appreciation, not many trainers lend their pokemon like that.

"Let's go in"

"Let's go" Jaime answered.


	3. I am not leaving you guys

Disclaimer: My birthday is on the 27th maybe then I will be the owner of the pokemon franchise, but until then… alas, I am just the proud owner of Jaime.

Special thanks to my reviewers, Black Millenium, Chase Void and Litakino 77.

It's great to count with you guys!

Oh, I am changing the summary btw; maybe it will be a bit catchier now. Remember all suggestions are welcome; this is my first fanfic so it's bound to need some help.

Chapter Three: I am not leaving you guys.

They barged into the brick-like building to find a sea of chaos. Rocket grunts all over the place, the machines crashed against the floor, the professor's papers torn, lying all over, the delicate chips and diodes on the experiment table were littering the floor along with the shards of the test tubes. Tracey was fighting two Rocket grunts at the same time, his Scyther and his Marill looked thoroughly worn out.

"ASH!"

"Tracey, hang on! Pikachu! Rosene go!"

One of the rocket grunts came back in the room from the back field where the professor kept the pokemon he was sent.

"Guys! Look at all the pokemon back there! Giovanni will reward us beyond our dreams!"

"NO!" Ash shouted, but he was too busy helping Tracey to do anything, yet another grunt had joined against them.

"Those pokemon aren't yours! I won't let you touch them! Cherrim, take the stage!"

A Cherrim erupted along with a rain of petals from Jaime's pokeball.

"Cherrim! Jump on the windowsill to get sunlight!"

"Careful he is preparing a solar beam!" Shouted one of the grunts. Jaime smirked at his comment.  
"Cherrim, charge your batteries!"

The flower pokemon blossomed into a sakura flower as soon as the sunlight hit all of his surface directly.

"Great! Cherrim, cover the back door with your sticky nectar!"

The Rockets were dumbstruck, they had never seen the Sinnoh pokemon before and didn't know how to act against it.

"Jumpluff! Help Cherrim out! Use cotton spore to block the back door!"

The cotton pokemon flew out of its pokeball and started spinning furiously sending strands of cotton that mixed with Cherrim's sticky nectar forming a viscous barrier on the back door.

"You are going to regret that kid!"

"No he is not! Pikachu Shock them all!"

Ash had finally freed himself and Tracey from the other grunts. Pikachu jumped in the air, balled his fists and yelled as a powerful discharge left him shocking all the rocket grunts.

"Let's get out of here!"

The rockets stampeded, grabbing Jessie James and Meowth as they went, throwing pokeballs with flying pokemon to lose themselves into the afternoon sun.

"Jumpluff, Cherrim, great job"

A red beam shot out from the two pokeballs Jaime was holding and absorbed the smiling pokemon back inside.

"Here, thanks a lot, your Roselia is really strong"

Jaime shook his head at the comment and took Rosene's and Leafeon's pokeballs. He put them in his waist pack along with the others and stared around.

"Where is the professor?"

Ash looked too, puzzled.

"Is he hiding or something?"

Tracey looked truly downhearted.

"No, nothing like that, they… they kidnapped him…"

"WHAT!?" both Jaime and Ash yelled together.

"Yeah, first thing they did. I sent out Scyther, Marill and Venonat to chase the one that had gone flying with him and try to take down the pokemon, but then the other grunts confronted me."

He stopped and gasped a second to catch his breath.

"We were fighting for ages, when I took one down another grunt came and replaced him, they took out Venonat, and Scyther and Marill were getting really tired, that's when you came, and well you know the rest, you saved me" He said nodding to Ash "And you saved all the pokemon with that attack combination" He indicated at Jaime.

Jaime tried a brave attempt at a smile.

"Don't thank me just yet… that will be a nightmare to clean up"

Tracey still looked sad, Ash chuckled softly. Suddenly his face turned stern again.

"We have to contact Gary and tell him about this"

"Who is Gary?"

Ash blushed slightly.

"My future boyfriend" he though

"Oak's grandson, and my best friend" he said

"And where is he?"

"Mt. Moon, looking for fossils"

"Ash, we ought to stop at your house first to change clothes get some food and pack our bags, this looks like it's gonna be a long journey…"

Ash nodded and smiled defiantly.

"A journey, this might sound horrible, but, I have been wanting to go on adventure for quite a while now" He turned to Jaime "When does your ferry back to Hoenn leave?"

Jaime shook his head.

"Don't know, don't care, I am not leaving you guys"

Ash's eyes opened in surprise, Jaime's gestured had surprised him quite a lot. He jumped and hugged him. Jaime blushed madly praying that Ash wouldn't notice and returned the hug softly, Ash was so warm…

He finally let go, his cheeks still pink.

"There is still the problem that we will take a long time to get to MT. Moon, maybe one should go ahead on a flying pokemon" Suggested Tracey.

Jaime beamed at them.

"No need, I have a pokemon that can carry the three of us, and so long as there is sunlight he won't get too tired" Ash hugged him again to express his gratitude.

"Well we only got a few hours left of sunshine, so let's hurry up to my house!"

Tracey locked the door as they left and they all ran together to Ash's house.

Deliah was busy in the kitchen, from where a delicious smell was slowly filling the house.

"Hi honey! I am cooking dinner!"

"For how many?"

"Just you and me, nothing big, do your guests want something?"

"Eeer yeah, just don't overwork yourself… When she says just for the two of us she can already feed a whole regiment" Ash added in an undertone.

"Ok! There are two bathrooms, you two can shower first while I pack the bags!"

Tracey shook his head.

"Like I'd let you be in charge of the bag organizing, you two shower first"

Jaime blushed and looked up at the ceiling; he had just had a random thought. Ash, completely oblivious grabbed his hand and took him to the bigger bathroom and then vanished himself into the one next to it. Jaime undressed quickly and went into the shower. He showered slowly dried himself off vigorously with a towel from the towel rack when he finished. He dropped the towel and turned to his bag to take out fresh clothes.

"Damn"

He had left his bag in Ash's room.

Ash was alone in his room, Tracey had packed all the essential things into his own bag and hurried off to the shower. Ash was only wearing his jeans and drying his torso and his hair before he put on some deodorant when Jaime walked in still wet with only a towel around his privates. Jaime flushed violently when he saw Ash's smooth muscular torso, in the same tan tone as his face. Ash also blushed, at being seen half naked, due to his shyness about his own body and at seeing Jaime almost completely naked.

"I… sort of left my bag here when you took me to the bathroom…"

Ash just gulped and nodded. Jaime wasn't as fit as he was, but his paleness was something exotic to Ash. Not even Gary was this pale skinned. Ash kneeled down and grabbed for Jaime's bag as he stepped forward, but he tripped over his own wet feet and fell forwards on top of Ash.

"So warm…"

Jaime's mind snapped back to reality he brusquely got up from Ash and apologized.

"I am sorry"

Ash who had unconsciously reached as if to hug him put his hands behind his head and laughed. He grabbed for a shirt lying next to him and left the room poking his tongue out at Jaime. Jaime still red in the face grabbed for his bag chuckling. After a quick supper, the three of them waved goodbye to Ash's mum, got hugged until their food ascended to their throats by her and departed for a nearby hill to fly away to Mt. Moon.

Ash was wearing his Sinnoh cap, along black and orange trainers, dark blue jeans and a black shirt with a lightning bolt on it. Tracey was wearing a green head-band with a pokeball on the fron, a sleeveless jacket with lots of pockets to keep his pencils. A sleeveless khaki shirt and ankle height cammo pants along with khaki sandals. Jaime looked the most elegant, he had substituted his torn indigo jeans by jet black ones, black shoes with a yellow stripe down the side. He had a white t-shirt with the same legend as before, "Temperamental Artist" in black, with an ink-splatter design. His three black and silver bracelets, his watch and his silver chain around his neck were the same as before though.

They reached the top of the hill soon enough. Tracey pointed in the direction where mount moon was and asked if they could get there soon. Jaime looked at the sky.

"I daresay we got about three hours before the sun sets… so yes, I think he won't have any problems with it…"

"He?" Tracey and Ash asked.

"Tropius! Take the stage!"

The dinosaur like pokemon roared and emerged from it's pokeball in a white fog and leaves explosion. Despite its initial ferocious appearance due to its size, Tropius was one of Jaime's most calm pokemon.

"That thing flies?"

Tropius looked at Ash as if he was an insignificant bug and attempted to smack him with his long neck, a whistle from Jaime put a stop to that.

"Tropius, Ash, remember your manners"

"Ash you oaf, of course he can fly with those huge and well-kept tail leaves. Your Tropius is very well taken care of" He added at Jaime who beamed "The fruits of his neck look very healthy and delightful, and I insist those aren't average Tropius leaves, they are much better!"

Tropius smiled ant bit out two of his fruits, one for Jaime and one for Tracey. At Jaime's stern look he bit out another one for Ash.

"Let's put them in our bags and leave them for later, Tropius, we need to fly on you to Mt. Moon, Tracey will be right behind your neck telling you were to go, Ash and I shall hang in the back ok?"

"Tropiiii!"

The three of them mounted on Tropius's broad backside. Because he was the one most used to Tropius's way of flying and thus the least likely to fall, Jaime was the last one, besides, he thought, this was a perfect excuse to hold onto Ash.

Half an hour after their flight had begun, and Ash had already admired the landscape enough he turned his head to Jaime, who was holding his waist with his hands while gazing absent mindedly into the sunset. Ash couldn't help but think that in this mystical state, Jaime looked somehow beautiful, tinged in the orange glow of the twilight, his deep emerald eyes fixed upon the horizon.

"Say, Jaime…"

"Hmm?"

"For someone as young as yourself you sure are a strong trainer"

"You are only two years older; I am not that young…"

"Yeah but I was wondering, is someone in your family a trainer too?"

"My father and my older brother are fairly powerful trainers in Sinnoh, but they are annoying about it… They kept saying that I should grow to be a trainer like them and stop that coordinating nonsense, also they said, specially my brother that plant pokemon are the most pathetic of all types, but that stupid" Jaime paused to catch his breath, he finally tore his eyes from the sunset and posed them in Ash's auburn stare.

"Training pokemon is not just about types and strength, it's about the links you have with your pokemon and having fun all together, I loved plant pokemon so that's why my whole team is plant type, and that's why some day, I will defeat my brother with them"

"I am sure you will, just watch out if he sends a fire pokemon!" Ash winked at him in a teasing manner.

"That's something I already thought of" Jaime smiled and rested his head in Ash's back.

Ash let him snuggle there for a while until he saw Mt. Moon extend below them.

He straightened up brusquely waking Jaime from his half-dormant state and pointed below.

"Tracey, tell him to land there! That's the digging site!"

"Whoah! Ash, calm down, we know you are eager to see Gary, but if we crash-land the only thing you will see is my fist!"

Though Tracey had said it in a mock tone, Jaime's eyes narrowed at the comment. Who the heck was this Gary guy? And what relation did he have with Ash?

His mind soon cooled down though, he had barely known Ash for a day, a rather long one perhaps but still not enough to know if he really should be thinking seriously about that kind of stuff. Besides, Oak was kidnapped, and he was thinking about his love life? It was almost insulting.

Ash's hyperactivity was getting on Tropius's nerves so the landing was a bit rougher then normal. Jaime barely had time to thank Tropius and call him back into his pokeball and then follow Tracey into chasing after Ash.

They had barely caught up with Ash when their feet an over nothing, and the three of them fell on a deep pit.

"Ash Ketchum! I am going to kill you!" Tracey roared.

"Despite my non-violence principles, I think I agree with his statement" Jaime fumed coldly.

"Pikaaa!!!" Pikachu stepped forwards, his cheeks crackling threateningly with electricity.

Ash backed away against the straight walls of the pit.

"Ah, well, we can, I mean, I was just happy, no, wait we can climb out… somehow…"

"Is that your pathetic gibbering down there Ashy boy?"

Jaime looked up along with the others at the source of the voice, and found the most gorgeous teal eyes staring down, along with a mane of elegantly messy brown hair and a superior smile etched in the well defined face.

"Gary! We found you!" Ash squealed in delight.


	4. Viridian showdown Revelations

As usual, thanks to my reviewers, it's great to know you are there! ;)

Now for the disclaimer, blah blah blah, I do not own pokemon, except for the ones that are in my Nintendo ds, those are mine because I trained them.

Chapter four: Viridian Showdown. Revelations.

The party was settled around a camp fire, in front of Gary's tent, the floor was littered with spades, shovels, hammers, brushes and other digging equipments. Gary's beautiful teal eyes were narrowed in fury at what the others where telling him.

"So, basically, all we thought of was of telling you and then start searching for any clues of Team rocket's activity…"

Gary nodded looking intensely at the fire, he then turned to Ash with a surprisingly gentle look in his eyes.

"Thanks Ash, you guys too" He added at the rest.

He got up and packed his digging equipment back in his tent.

"Gary, what are you doing?!" Ash got up too.

"He's lost his marbles" Jaime undertones to Tracey who giggled.

"I am going to Viridian, the rockets regained control of the gym there last year, stupid from them because now we know where to find them. Besides it's near Pallet town so they probably took gramps there"

"But how are we going to get there soon enough? Jaime's Tropius will get too tired if he flies without any sunlight!"

"I got my Charizard's pokeball, he can take me and one more person" Ash said.

"I am positive Jumpluff will be most willing to assist me on this short flight"

"I won't fly, Arcanine will take me there running"

"Ok! Tracey you come with me! Charizard go!"

"Arcanine, lend me your speed!"

"Jumpluff, The stage's calling for you!"

The dragon-like, dog-like and cotton pokemon emerged from their pokeballs respectively.

Gary mounted his Arcanine elegantly and looked over at Jaime's Jumpluff.

"We will see you tomorrow then, Jumpluffs aren't known for their fabulous flying"

Jaime looked at him coldly.  
"Rest assured, my Jumpluff has taken his flying lessons"

Arcanine roared and leapt forwards losing himself in the distance.

"Don't worry, he is always mocking everyone"

"I can hardly breath for laughing" He then looked at Ash who looked taken aback at his coldness and smiled "We are taking a long time"

"Yeah, let's go" Ash smiled back

"You sure you know how to fly this thing?" Tracey looked terrified at the perspective of flying a Charizard he remembered could get very out of control.

"Stop moaning, Charizard show him your speed!"

"Jumpluff, use your gust attack to steer us!"

"Your Jumpluff knows gust!?" Ash yelled from his Charizard's back.

"And it nearly took me a year to teach him to do it!" Jaime shouted back

"Let's show pretty boy who is going to wait until tomorrow Jumpluff!" Jaime whispered at his pokemon's ear.

The cotton pokemon was gliding and surfing along in his own gust attack, managing to stay in line with Charizard, but avoiding the other pokemon's fiery tail.

An hour later Jumpluff was starting to get very tired, her gust attack wasn't nearly as strong, as before. Jaime wondered how much more was left when Viridian City emerged from behind the nearest hill. Ash's Charizard began a dive, Tracey screamed in fear, while Ash's whooped in joy and Jaime stayed very silent while his very tired Jumpluff followed the fiery pokemon.

As soon as Charizard touched the ground Tracey practically threw himself on the floor and slumped there with his eyes twirling. Ash jumped on the floor grinning widely, called in Charizard and looked up at the skies for Jaime. Jumpluff touched the ground barely a few seconds afterwards, Jaime jumped off and hugged his pokemon as a sign of gratitude, he took a small, tasty looking yellow bun and fed it to Jumpluff, who smiled gleefully. After Jumpluff finished, he called her back into his pokeball.

"That's pokebread?"

"All made by me" Jaime looked smug.

Tracey stood up shakily.

"Where is Gary? I thought he'd be here in the gym by now"

"I was walking around the block to see if you had landed somewhere else, you are rather slow you know?" He was smiling as he said this, but Jaime couldn't help but glare at him.

"So, Gary, what are we doing here?"

"Come on Ashy boy, don't be dim. Since the Rockets are in charge of this gym, we are going to go in and challenge whoever is in charge and when we beat him we squish the information out of him"

"Is that your marvellous plan? What makes you think whoever is in charge will be foolish enough to let something this big slip? And besides, this is the most obvious thing to do, they are probably waiting for us inside already" Jaime's argued.

"Well blondie, we can always wait until you come up with a better idea"

Gary hadn't said it with malice but Jaime's eyes sparked in rage.

Tracey noticed Jaime's look and said.

"It's not a great plan, but it's the best we've got, we have to try it at least"

Ash patted Jaime on the back as Tracey and Gary turned around the corner and entered through the gym's doors. Jaime nodded at Ash's gesture absent mindedly and followed him inside the gym. The entrance room was empty, so the party entered the arena, where three figures were waiting in the very centre of the pokeball drawn with white sand on the earthy floor.

Jessie and James were facing opposite directions, with Meowth at their feet. James was holding a red rose, Jessie had her arms crossed and Meowth had extended his claws. All three of them were leering at the party.

"Prepare for trouble, you twerps are cooked"

"And make it double! Your coffins are booked!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James"

"Team rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!"

"You two are the gym leaders again!? What's Giovanni playing at?! We will beat you in a snap!" Ash yelled.

"These jerks again?" Jaime asked Tracey in and undertone.

"Always" He nodded with a bored expression.

"Where is my grandfather?!" Gary roared as he reached for his pokeballs.

"Not so fast twerps, we aren't the gym leaders, but before you challenge him be informed"

James sneered.

"You two can't challenge him because you already got the badge!"

"Only I do! Gary didn't get it in the Indigo league!"

Ash looked back at Gary who was now looking at the floor.

"Actually… as soon as team rocket lost this gym I came to defeat it just for my pride… I am sorry Ash"

Ash looked at Gary tenderly. "It's ok" He mouthed.

The three Rockets were jumping in glee.

"And the artist twerp's pokemon aren't up for the battle so goodbye twerps!"

The Rockets were dancing a little victory dance while cheering loudly.

"I, Jaime, from the Sinnoh region challenge the leader of the Viridian gym in a pokemon battle"

Tracey, Ash and Gary looked back at Jaime, their eyes wide. Sure he might be a strong trainer, but strong enough for this?

The Rockets stopped dumbstruck.

"Damn damn damn!!! Why do these stupid twerps ALWAYS have something up their sleeve!?" Jessie yelled.

"They sure got big sleeves!" Meowth commented.

"Take it easy Jessie, Giovanni send a ground type expert just in case, they won't win"

"You moron! If they see the gym leader they will know the boss's plan!"

Jessie made a move for the exit but a sparking Pikachu blocked her.

"You guys are staying with us"

"Arcanine, grab them and keep them put!"

The fire pokemon leaped and grabbed the rockets with his mouth to later throw them on the floor and sit on top of them.

"Jaime, thanks a lot, for what you are doing, just try your best, I know you can do it!"

Jaime blushed at Ash's words and nodded, he then looked forwards at the other side of the arena, where a door had opened.

Magma commander Tabitha was sneering at the scene before him.

"So, finally I get something to do, even if it's beating the shit out of a brat like you"

He then eyed at team rocket and giggled.

"Oooh Giovanni and Maxie are gonna get you cooked for this"

Jessie, James and Meowth hugged each other trembling with fear. Tracey and Gary looked at them pitifully. Ash who was stunned at Tabitha's appearance jumped out.

"Team rocket and Team Magma have allied?!"

"If only you knew…" A female suggestive voice called from above. "Grunts, make sure they don't interfere!"

Four men in absurd silvery clothes with green hair and a yellow G in the front jumped in front of Gary, Ash, Tracey and team rocket separating them from Jaime and Tabitha.

"Ash!" Jaime turned back and ran towards him, but yet another figure jumped from above and stood directly in front of him leering at him.

"Jupiter! But that means… Team Galactic has allied too!?"

Jupiter shook her pink hair and put a lilac painted fingernail on Jaime's chest brushing against his nipple.

"Don't even think of leaving the arena pretty-boy" Her voice was slow and seductive, but Jaime just glared at her coldly "I'll make sure your "Ashy" is ok, but put a toe out of the line, and I'll delegate that job to my Skuntank"

Jaime's eyes widened in fear.

"Don't worry about us Jaime! Just beat Tabitha! You are a plant type expert! This gym will be a snap for you!"

Jaime nodded and turned back facing Tabitha, Jupiter looked at him slightly furious, she wasn't used to being ignored, she walked towards Ash thinking of ways to torment him instead.

"This will be a three on three combat, brat, choose the pokemon you don't mind dying and get your ass ready for kicking, Claydol, I choose you to win!"

Jaime looked at the trainer and pokemon coldly and replied with icy politeness.

"You talk to much Magma-member Tabitha, and a man is tied by his words"

"Leafeon, take the stage!"

"Claydol, ancient power!"

"Leafeon, neutralize the rocks with your bullet seed!"

The opponents Claydol glowed violet and summoned rocks from the fround which he tossed at Leafeon. Leafeon quickly opened his mouth and shot out a torrent of bullet seed that effectively threw the rocks backwards and even smashed a couple of them.

"Leafeon, don't give him time to think! Leaf blade!"

Leafeon shook his head, a string of razor sharp leafs shot from it and circled Claydol causing it serious damage.

"Claydol use your psychic to break Leafeon's concentration!"

Claydol glowed in a dangerous red colour, and Leafeon stopped his attack immediately, thrashing around on the arena's floor. Claydol's attack finished and Leafeon, the most stubborn of all of Jaime's pokemon stood up again.

"Leafeon! Are you up to it?!"

Leafeon merely growled dangerously at the opposing Claydol.

"Leafeon, use Giga Drain to heal!"

Before the Claydol could react it's vital force was being extracted by the furious Leafeon, partly healing it's physical injuries, but remaining tired.

"Leafeon, Now! Use Grass Knot and bring him down!"

Two vines snaked out of the ground and slammed the Claydol down on the floor unable to move.

Tabitha giggled insanely.

"Not bad for a sissy coordinator, let's see how you handle a man's fight! Flygon, let's bring them the heat!"

The dragon-ground pokemon leered at Leafeon who despite its tiredness, growled back.

"Leafeon, razor leaf!"

"Flygon, gust him into oblivion!"

Leafeon's attack had barely brushed Flygon when the wind from Flygon's powerful wing-flaps, knocked him back and rammed him into a wall. With a frustrated whine Leafeon fainted.

"Leafeon, you did great! Come back!"

Jaime cursed mentally, Flygon was a very powerful pokemon, and the only pokemon he had who could learn ice type moves hadn't yet mastered them… what could he do?

"Jaime, stay cool! You know you can win!"

"Yeah, just look at that guy's pokemon, they are unhealthy and ugly!"

"Come on Blondie, you will never stand a chance against me if you can't beat him!"

"We are counting on you!"

His friend's words acted like a balsamic bath and returned him his cold way of thinking, he analyzed the situation quickly and picked a pokeball from his waist-pack.

"Rosene, take the stage!"

Gary sighed.

"That isn't quite what I had in mind…"

The Galactic grunts were also laughing openly, even Jupiter herself was smirking when she saw how Tabitha's Flygon towered over the minuscule thorn-pokemon.

"Don't worry"

"What's that you are saying Ashy-boy?" Gary turned to Ash.

"I said don't worry" His eyes were fixed on the arena "Jaime is not stupid, he has a plan, besides, I trust him" he added.

"You are stupid brat, what sort of moron sends a rat to fight an elephant?!"

"The one who knows that elephants are actually scared of them! Rosene! Toxic!"

Before Tabitha could react his Flygon was engulfed in a noxious purple cloud.

Jaime smirked knowing his advantage. "Rosene, leech seed!"

Leech seed were planted all around the Flygon leaving it covered in tiny little plants apart from being poisoned.

"Flygon, dragonbreath!"

The purple flames knocked Rosene down, but stood up again receiving energy from the leech-seeds. Another impact however of the purple flame knocked him down again.

"It's ok Rosene, you've done your job! Now to get rid of this for once and for all, charge your solar beam!"

Rosene stood up, the leech seeds planted on the enemy were giving her strength to charge the attach using only the lights in the gym. Flygon was thrashing around trying to rid himself of the seeds and due to the pain of Rosene's toxic. His trainer's voice brought him back to reality.

"Flygon, use your hyper beam!"

"Rosene, launch your solar beam!"

The two attacks collided and exploded. When the smoke cleared, both pokemon were revealed to have fainted.

"Damn, you bastard of a brat, now I have to use my final pokemon, go camerupt!"

"You did a good job Rosene, I have never been more proud"

He then eyed Tabitha's enormous Camerupt and laughed.

"By underestimating plant type pokemon now your defeat is sealed, that camerupt stands no chance against my final pokemon!"

He picked a pokeball covered in blue stickers from his waist pack and threw it in the air.


	5. Let’s get this show on the stage

"Thanks"

I might not be able to update very quick now because I have just started school, but, hey! So long as anyone's interested on reading this I will keep it on! Reviews are as appreaciated as always, and they do make me feel more willing to write more and faster, that and they make me feel so warm and fuzzy inside… )

Chapter five: Let's get this show on the stage.

Jaime tossed the pokeball covered in blue stickers in the air and shot a smirk at Tabitha who was standing behind his Camerupt.

"Ludicolo, the audience wants a finale!"

The Carefree pokemon snapped out of his pokeball in a rain of bubbles generated by the blue seals on the pokeball and danced mildly before adopting a serious expression and a combat position.

"That's your final pokemon!?" Tabitha jeered loudly "A freaking coconut! The brat sends a freaking coconut to fight me and my super-Camerupt!? It's almost insulting!"

Jaime's gaze turned artic cold when he posed in on Tabitha. He looked at his Ludicolo and winked at him.

"Ludicolo, it appears we have been insulted…"

"Luuuuu?" Ludicolo adopted a hilarious mock-ignorance expression on his face. Ash, Gary and Tracey snickered.

"But then again I wouldn't take to seriously the words of a giggling-teenager like fag that dresses like it was carnival with those horns on top of his hood…"

"Ludi!" Ludicolo clapped loudly, Ash, Gary and Tracey roared with laughter, and even some Team galactic grunts snickered softly, Jupiter grinned with and wicked glint on her eye. Finally someone had put that arrogant magma administrator in his proper place, she snapped her eyes back to the tan neck she was eyeing before and held Ash tighter still.

Meanwhile Tabitha Flushed with anger.

"Camerupt overheat!"

"Ludicolo, Water Sport and relax"

Tabitha's camerupt glowed red as series of violent smoke-jets shot out of his humps and fogged the ceiling. Ludicolo was paying no attention however and was busy dancing and spitting out water with which he was covering himself. Suddenly it appeared as if Camerupt's humps exploded, the pokemon jumped several feet in the air as an expansive –fiery red wave blasted out of his humps and shot straight through Ludicolo covering the arena with smoke, ashes and vapour. Tabitha raised his fist and did the victory sign arrogantly with his other hand, smiling widely in front of the party and team rocket and galactic. Jaime however raised his right eyebrow coldly and spoke ever so softly, but pausing the words so they fell like ice daggers around Tabitha.

"What on earth gives you the impression that this is over? Ludicolo, back in the scenario"

And there he was, he stepped out of the smoke and danced in small circles, grinning widely, not even partly singed.

Tabitha lost his self-control, he started stuttering and pointing at the Ludicolo and his extremely tired Camerupt as if he had just had a nervous breakdown.

"Impressive" Ash whispered.

"He's… not so bad I suppose…" Gary said looking at the ceiling.

Jaime was smirking evilly at Tabitha's expression and adopted cockily the air of a teacher explaining two plus two to an over emotional five-year old.

"It's basic chemistry Tabitha, no matter how much you try to burn a lump of wood, if it's wet it won't catch on fire"

He then turned to his smiling Ludicolo and smirked.

"Time for our finale, Hydro pump!"

Ludicolo did a short tango step opened his mouth wide and shot out a jet of water that smashed the already tired camerupt into the opposite wall declaring the combat, and the Viridian gym's badge as his and Jaime's.

Tabitha recalled his pokemon and stepped back in fear, what had happened definitely wasn't according to plan. He threw the earth badge at Jaime and ran away through the door he had entered.

"You aren't going to just leave us here are you coward!?" Jupiter yelled at his back.

"This isn't my mess to clean up! I am reporting to HQ immediately!" Tabitha shouted in response.

Jupiter let go of Ash and made a quick signal to her grunts who ran through the door Tabitha had just used.

"This is just a little rest we are giving you, next time you won't be so lucky" She then eyed Ash "Well, maybe you will be a bit luckier then they, if you get my drift" And kissed him.

Ash felt as if a fetid, noxious strawberry stinking slug had just forced his way into his mouth, he put his hands on Jupiter's shoulders and pushed her away roughly.

Jupiter licked her lips oblivious at Jaime's expression of rage, only matched by Ash's.

"How un-manly for a hunk like you" She commented, and vanished through the door that slammed shut after her. Helicopters were left and the party knew that they were alone in the gym. Jaime, exhausted returned with the party, He felt pats on the back and cheers from Tracey, and even a compliment from Gary, but now in his tiredness he only has eyes and ears for Ash, who smiled at him proudly and hugged him strongly.

Jaime put his badge carefully in his ribbon case, as he had confessed to Ash during the few minutes they had to talk while Gary and Tracey questioned team rocket, who was still under Arcanine, he had no use for it since he wasn't even listed in the Kanto league, he didn't even have a contest pass for here, and therefore was pleasantly surprised when Tabitha accepted his challenge.

"It's still a nice souvenir from Kanto you can keep" Ash winked.

Jaime blushed slightly

"Yeah, I suppose it is…"

Not much after the four of them where talking in a park nearby, they where fooling their hunger with some fruit (Tropius's courtesy) as they spoke of what they ought to do now. Team rocket had long since blasted of again thanks to a "Glorious thunder, only capable by your Pikachu" as Jaime described it.

Finally after half an hour worth of quarrelling They all went to the pokemon center to put their plan in action.

The first thing they did was call the police, agent Mara presented herself in the act in just a few minutes. After they shared all their information with her, they put their very own plan into action.

Ash called Misty and Brock in the videophone and informed them, he then asked them to go to Johto to speak with Elm and try to protect him from a possible criminal attack by team Rocket, team Magma, team Galactic and as Tracey commented, possibly team Aqua.

Misty then made a comment about May being in Johto with her boyfriend, she said she'd send them to Hoenn as soon as possible to help. Ash thanked her, he himself would be going along with Jaime to alert professor Birch and get in contact with Dawn and the rest of Jaime's friends to have Sinnoh covered up. Gary and Tracey agreed to take one of the helicopters reserved for pokemon investigators in Oak's lab to the Orange islands and bodyguard professor Ivy, Brock shouted at them to remind Lorelei of his undying love if they saw her and earned himself a fist in the gut from Misty. How the heck they managed to meet up all weekends and not hate each other was still a mystery to Ash. When all the jobs had been delegated and all the details discussed, Ash hung up the phone and turned to the others.

"Let's get this show on the stage" he winked at Jaime

"Let's go!!" They all roared attracting Mara's and Joy's attention.

They left the circular building kneeling with laughter at Mara's puzzled expression but stopped abruptly when they realised what was coming.

"Don't look so grim Ashy-boy, it's been demonstrated I can't last long without your annoying hugs"

"Hey!" Ash looked surly but hugged Gary and the Tracey in a bone crunching grip.

"I guess we will se you guys soon right?" Jaime asked sheepishly, he suddenly remembered he was the youngest one there.

"Of course we will, I still have to show you my drawings right? I am gonna make one of your battle as soon as I have time!" Tracey patted Jaime on the back.

"That's be nice" he grinned

"Quit the long face, you have to make sure Ashy-boy here doesn't stuff his face to death Blondie"

Before Jaime could answer or Ash stomp his foot on the ground, Gary had thrown Arcanine's pokeball, picked a hand-waving Tracey and disappeared to the east, in direction to the Tohjo waterfalls.

Jaime began to think that maybe Gary was a nice guy after all when he suddenly realized something.

"He called me Blondie again!!" He yelled.

After he finished ranting about Gary to an oblivious Ash, Jaime yawned widely.

"You sure are tired after that battle huh?"

Jaime nodded heavily.

"We are going to go to Vermillion city to catch a ferry to Hoenn, I will use my Charizard to fly, so you can just hold on and sleep"

"That sounds heavenly" Jaime answered "In more ways then one" He thought.

As soon as Ash threw Charizard's pokeball and made sure Pikachu was safely on his shoulder Jaime suddenly realised a problem.

"Say, Ash, how are we going to get a ferry without reservation?"

"Being an international trainer has it's good things, they might just to an exception with me, and my guest of honour of course" He added while mock bowing at Jaime who laughed.

"Ready to mount?"

"To sleep more like"

Jaime grabbed Ash's waist tightly, rested his head on his back like he had done a few hours ago on Tropius and felt his mind grow sluggish.

Until Charizard took off.

"WOOOHOOOOOO!"

"NOT SO FAAAAST!"

A few minutes afterwards, when Jaime had gotten used to the altitude, Ash's woohooing and Charizard's incredible speed, he did a quick summarize of his hectic day on his head and fell asleep without noticing on Ash's warm and broad back.

Oak felt his consciousness slip slowly back into him and opened his eyes. All he saw was whiteness. As the outlines became more clear he saw he was lying in a white bed, on the opposite wall was a white desk, with a white computer and white lab equipment. On a door to the right of the bed was a white porcelain bathroom and on the wall south of his bed, strongly breaking the pattern a heavy steel door. No windows were to be seen.

"A magnificent prison, but a prison nonetheless" Oak thought.

He sat on the bed when the computers screened lightened and a shadowed form appeared in it. The shadowed person had a strong completion and dressed in a suit, a Persian was lying on its right purring occasionally when his master's hand brushed against his silky fur.

"Why, my most pleasant greetings professor, how considerate of you to pass by just when we needed an expert's assistance"

"Are you insane?! You can't do this to me! Let me out!"

"Why of course we will, but first you must pay us a little service"

"I will do no such thing! Allying with villains is something I shall never even think of"

"Villains? Why, professor, how rude of you. We aren't villains, we just try do improve the world"

"Liar, all team Rocket ever does is destroy and be cruel to pokemon!"

"Caught up quickly haven't you? Very well, you don't have to help us… yet. However in a few days I am sure you will be most willing to, just keep that chip in your pocket safe professor, if you know what's good for you…"

The image went grey and died, the computers screen turned off. Samuel Oak buried his face in his hands, if only he had the guts like his grandson would have to destroy the chip, but he couldn't, all those years of work, he couldn't bear to think of it. However he didn't want to know why he would be so "willing" to help soon.

"Giovanni, what has your evil mind come up with now?" he moaned into his hands.

Several floors above Giovanni turned his chair from his personal computer to his companions. The Persian growled when his grooming ceased and walked away.

"The Granpa seems rather tough doesn't he?" Maxie looked over at Giovanni incredulous.

"Correct, but I am sure that Cyrus's idea will be more then effective, soon the five greatest minds of the world will be desperate for our cause" Giovanni's wide smiled could have been handsome if it wasn't for the cruelty reflected in his narrow black eyes.

"Well, it's logical to go for the best, and what better then having Oak, Elm, Ivy, Birch and Rowan all together, blackmailed with each others security? The greatest weakness of those sentimental fools is the actions they will do to protect others but them" Cyrus's voice was cold, mechanical, inexpressive… his own face was totally indifferent as if the talk about other people's lives wasn't a deal of great importance to him.

"Agreed, this is like a game of chess, and their weaknesses are our strength. Maxie, there has been some delay on your side of the assignment, how is this?"

Maxie's face seemed to boil in rage as he answered Giovanni's question.

"It seems there has been interference by an old friend of mine…"

"Truly? And who might this person be?" Giovanni mocked curiosity, malice glittering in his eyes.

"A future corpse I presume" Cyrus's ivy voice sounded once more.

"Perfect assumption"

"Very well, the plan goes as it should then; it is inevitable to cross a few obstacles in the way" Giovanni said.

"Such as the brats that almost foiled Pallet town's operation?" Cyrus commented as if he didn't really care.

"I don't think they were much to worry about, Ash Ketchum is strong, but he is only one, and the others, lack of name, they aren't anyone, mere flies we can swat out of our path" Giovanni's answer came in a pleasant voice.

The richly carved wooden door with gold decorations that separated Giovanni's office from the rest of the Team Rocket's base slammed open revealing a panting Tabitha, not at all his giggling self.

"We have some major problems" He gasped at the three leaders.

"Explain" Giovanni's cold tone send a chill running down Tabitha's spine…

"Pika…"

"humph?"

"Chuu!"

A gentle shock from Pikachu finished waking up Jaime. He was lying alone on top of Charizard, who was resting on the ground. He looked around for Ash, and found him talking to a man in a blue suit. Jaime stood up form Charizard and looked around properly, he was in a dock, much bigger then the one in pallet town, nearby was a big ship filling itself with passengers. He looked at the happy people who were walking past him and Ash, and getting in the ferry, they were chatting about their plans or reasons to visit Hoenn. Jaime noticed a woman with a striped blue and white shirt and a bandanna look closely at Ash and himself. He put an annoyed look on his face, he didn't mind people looking at him, but he was sick of people looking at Ash after Jupiter's incident. The woman however turned away gave her ticket to the sailor standing on the bridge between the ferry and the dock and mounted without looking back at them.

Ash came back at him looking rather down.

"You didn't manage to get us rooms?"

"Well, kind of… it's only one room…" Ash really looked as if it would be a problem with Jaime, and he seemed really sorry, for nor reason, Jaime thought.

"No problem, we aren't going on vacation, we don't need anymore"

"You serious? You don't mind?" Ash's eyes widened

"Of course not, idiot, why would I?" Ash leaped and hugged Jaime, knocking him to the floor.

"Sorry…" He quickly apologized.

"Never mind, I was just drowsy, it wasn't your fault I fell" Jaime looked away still red in the face, but Ash grabbed his hand and yanked him upwards, he called in Charizard with his other hand and told Pikachu to follow. He tugged Jaime all the way in the ferry and to the hand rail on the back so they could see the ship's propellers launching it into the sea.

"Is this something you always do?"

"Yeah! it's fun seeing the propellers go around and around and around… and seeing how the land gets tinier and tinier…"

Jaime raised his eyebrow

"And the reason you share this magnificent moment with me instead of letting me sleep is?"

It was Ash's turn to blush now, but he quickly changed his expression for a sorry one.

"I guess I shouldn't have woken up, you must still be tired…"

"Don't be stupid, there is nowhere I'd rather be now" Jaime said putting his hands on the hand rail. Ash hugged him from behind in a friendly gesture, but before he could cease the hug Jaime had rested the back of his head comfortably on his shoulder and was gazing at Vermillion city as it slowly disappeared in the horizon.

"Nowhere I'd rather be now" Jaime murmured.

If only Ash knew what he really tried to express in that phrase.

But Ash only had eyes for Gary, that was something he knew quite well…

His eyes started to close as his tiredness started taking over him again, he fought against it but Ash's shoulder was so warm, his breathing regular, his breath playing with Jaime's blond strands…

"I love you"

Ash just looked at the distance and held Jaime tighter as he spoke in his sleep.


	6. Aye aye captain

Disclaimer: CHUUUUUU!!!! whoever dares say Charon owns pokemon will be shocked, he just owns de idea of this fanfic and Jaime

-Shell-shocked Charon- "Thanks Pikachu…"

Chapter six:

Jaime woke up before dawn illuminated the sky. He was alone in a wide bed. The heat of the blankets next to him indicated Ash had been lying besides him until recently. As soon as his eyes focused back into reality he quickly scanned the room. Pikachu was sleeping on top of a desk opposite to the bed, and Ash was nowhere to be seen. Jaime buried his head once more into the pillow wondering where in blazes Ash could be. He stayed like that for a few seconds, noticing Ash's scent on the pillow and stood up suddenly.

"If I where Ash, right now I'd be worried sick about where the rest are" he thought.

Easy. Ash had gone to the videophone located at the end of the passage where their room was. Jaime peeked out the door without making any noise and sure, that raven head could only be his. Ash was buried in conversation with whoever was at the other side of the line and didn't even notice the door opening slightly. Closing the door gently Jaime looked back at the room. He wasn't just about to interrupt Ash, he looked like he was discussing something important, so he might as well shower. Jaime rummaged in his bag for another pair of jeans and another white shirt. The idea of doing another complete look change to impress Ash had occurred to him; however he thought it would be excessive for now, specially considering the current situation. He made sure he had his under-garments with him, not wanting to surprise Ash wit another scene like the one at his house and went into the bathroom.

When he emerged from the shower, cool, his silver-blonde still dripping small droplets of water, his head considerably much more lighter then before, Jaime noticed Ash lying on the bed his arms behind his head looking at the ceiling with a concentrated expression. Jaime crumpled his old clothes into his very spacious bag and sat next to Ash's waist, making the mattress curl slightly. He turned his head and intertwined his emerald gaze with Ash's obsidian one.

"A penny for your thoughts?"

Ash looked at the small circular window from where sunlight started to filter inside the room.

"I am just worried… I did want to go on adventure, but this is turning out to be something really big isn't it?"

"Ash… no-one said this was gonna be easy…"

"Yeah, that's what Misty told me"

Jaime raised his eyebrow "Misty?"

Ash straightened up and sat next to him.

"Yeah, she told me the same, and she told me not to waver, she said I wasn't allowed to feel afraid"  
"And she was right, if you give up Ash, what do we have left?"

"You could follow Gary's footsteps"

"You really love him don't you?" The words left Jaime casually, before he really thought of them, Ash blushed slightly and nodded.

"Yeah, I do"

Jaime's insides boiled in rage as his heart froze, however his soul wasn't really affected, since the moment he first saw Gary he knew this was possible.

"You think he'd like you if you gave up?"

"I don't think he likes me at all"

"You know what I mean"

Ash looked out the window; the sunlight was falling on him making him look like some angelic being. He smiled softly.

"No, I don't think he'd like me…"

He turned and mock-punched Jaime in the arm.

"You are a really cool guy you know?"

"And how's that?" Jaime sounded amused.

"Well, even though you like me you are still helping me with Gary"

It was Jaime's turn to blush now, and he did it quite strongly. He stuttered something incoherent to Ash's great delight. For once Jaime had lost his cool and behaved like a normal teenager. Ash laughed and took hold of his hand.

"Hey" He whispered gently "I might not feel the same, but I swear you are really important to me"

Jaime turned deep scarlet as Ash spoke. However deep inside his heart was partially crying, Ash didn't love him and yet, a small part of him was cheering, Ash cared for him.

"You are important to me too"

Jaime felt one tear roll down his cheek, then another and another. He tried to hide it but Ash noticed him before he could even raise his hand to sweep his face clean. Ash took Jaime between his arms and rested his head on his chest trying to give him some comfort. Jaime's size took him by surprised, not until then had he realized that Jaime was really much lighter then he was, and that he was almost a head taller then the coordinator.

Jaime cried on his shoulder, he finally had one to cry on. Finally someone who not only didn't understand him, but that was like him. Someone who didn't insult him, someone who didn't despise him, someone he could really trust. Sure, Dawn, Lukas and Rosendo where his friends, but not in the same level Ash was, Ash could really know how he felt.

A few minutes passed before Jaime finally calmed down, he cried about himself, about Ash, about the torment his brother had put through him, about his plant pokemon discriminated, about his friends, about his rivals, about his life in general and finally came to the conclusion, that his life wasn't so horrible. Finally he stopped crying and rebuilt his persona, he wiped his eyes clean and made his voice sound as before, cocky and slightly indifferent.

"I am sorry"

Ash looked at him sternly and shook his head.

"No need to be. Let's go get some breakfast. It'll cheer you up" He added.

The two boys got up from the bed. Ash picked up Pikachu and left their room. They crossed the hall, now full of people to the outer deck. The walked in front of the hammocks were some people we sunbathing and entered the restaurant.

A woman with a blue bandana looked at them from one of the hammocks as they passed, hidden behind her huge magazine. She took a mobile phone from her purse next to her and dialled a number. She put the phone to her ear and waited a few instants. A familiar voice sounded through it.

"Shelly? What's new?"

"It's definitely them, they are heading to Hoenn"

"How much time is it until you arrive here?"

"Supposedly two days, but I daresay once I pay the captain a small boost we could make it by this afternoon"

"Perfect, I shall send some grunts to Lilycove city, make sure to intercept them as soon as you are on land and bring them to me"

"Aye aye captain"

Shelly snapped her mobile shut and twirled on of her long hair curls with her fingers.

Things were going according to plan.

Gary jumped down from the helicopter and rushed inside Professor Ivy's lab. Tracey fell out of the helicopter muttering something about puke-bags and followed Gary. He found him at the front door, dead on his tracks looking at the laboratory.

"We are late"

Gary punched the wall, making his knuckles bleed. Tracey poked his head through the door and his mouth opened in shock. The lab was devastated, not a single bookshelf was standing, the computer screens were blown, papers tossed all over. Nothing was still in one piece.

"What are we going to do now? Go to Hoenn or Johto?"

"None"

Tracey turned; Gary was looking at the floor, his fists balled.

"Gary…"

"We are going to find Lorelei and tell her about this"

"What?!"

"Think about it, we know she has a house in mandarine island, and we also know she has a house in one of the Sevii islands so we are going to find her and we are going to ask her for help"

"Why her?"

"Think about it, she was with the elite four of Kanto and Johto, she is bound to be able to help us"

"Why don't we just go to the indigo plateau then?"

"We can't be sure team rocket hasn't infiltrated at least some spies there, on the other hand Lorelei is perfectly trustable I know for a fact she doesn't stand cruelty to pokemon, so she won't be in league with either team rocket, team magma or the other on"

"Team galactic" Tracey reminded him slowly.

"Yeah that one, anyway, it's the best plan we've got"

"And what about Ash? We have to tell him about this"  
"We will, as soon as we find a videophone or if we can't I will send him a message through the pokemon air message service"

"Then let's go to mandarine island!"

"Let's go!"

Gary ran back into the helicopter and Tracey ran after him, mentally cursing the flying machine with all his might.

Oak's head turned from the ceiling as he heard his computer's monitor turning on. His eyes darted to the screen and saw Giovanni's face leering evilly at him.

"Why, professor, you've had some time, care to help me now?"

"Let me out of here!"

Giovanni made an irritated gesture.

"I see you are not willing to cooperate, maybe this shall make you think my way"

Giovanni's face disappeared from the screen. Immediately another image took shape.

"Felina!"

Professor Ivy was tied to a chair with a band tied tightly around her eyes. She was accompanied by a handsome dark-light brow haired teenager and an Espeon.

Professor Ivy shook when she hear the voice, her efforts where futile, she was tightly bind to the chair.

"Samuel! Is that you?!" She yelled.

"Oh my god! Unhand her you bastards, you have no right to do this, leave her and take just me, I'll help you I swear!"

"Samuel where are you?!"

Giovanni's face appeared in a smaller window in the screen, cutting off the sound from Professor Ivy's.

"Well, I knew you'd see it our way… there, there. That wasn't too difficult was it?"

Oak glared at the screen with all his might, shaking with rage.

"I will help you, now let her free"

"I shall not, the more the merrier, and if are having second thoughts about you cooperation… well, allow me to demonstrate what could happen if you dare defy me. Christopher, do it!"

The teenager with Professor Ivy raised his head, obviously looking at some sort of camera and nodded. He gave a command to his Espeon who launched a psychic attack at Professor Ivy.

"Stop it! I swear to god I will help you"

"Good"

Series of files started opening in the computer, Oak stared at them amazed, the amount of data was incredible.

"First things first, remember that chip we require? Pass its data to the compute, now"

Oak nodded, still trembling slightly and put his hands to work.

In his office Giovanni was smiling, finally some real results, Oak was his most humble servant now, so would Ivy as soon as she woke up.

Suddenly a phone started ringing in the majestic, dark room. Giovanni picked up the one that was ringing out of the row of telephones presented on his desk and took it to his ear.

"Yes?"

"We found the Ketchum boy, it turns out he is headed for Hoenn"

"Very well, intercept him there as soon as he arrives and make him a prisoner of yours"

"What do we do with the other one?"

Giovanni raised his eyebrows.

"Try to imprison him too, but if he turns out to be a nuisance kill him"

"Very well, Cyrus called earlier by the way, he says Saturn will have the Sinnoh project ready earlier the scheduled"

"Perfect…" Giovanni sinister smile broadened with glee, but abruptly his facial expression turned into cold rage and menace.

"One more thing Maxie"

"Yes?"

"About that friend of yours… if he interferes, try to get him out of the picture, did I make myself clear?"

"Transparently, yet I would have made it so anyway"

Maxie hung up and looked around his office his eyes paused on the glass window that stood between his office and the subterranean chamber were a few years ago he had found Groundon sleeping.

A duel that had been so since the planet existed would soon end.

Only one can be the winner, and it will be the ground.

"Farewell Archie" he muttered as he picked up his own telephone.

Ash groaned as Jaime ruthlessly took away yet another one of his white pieces. It was their fourth game of chess and he hadn't won once, Jaime had beaten him three times in a row in less then forty minutes. They were on the deck; Ash was dripping sweat from the mental effort he was doing trying to think up a magic mean for the white pieces to win the game. Jaime on the other hand was looking at the horizon, calm as always making a lighting quick move whenever Ash decided to move his own pieces.

Five minutes later Ash made his final mistake, Jaime quickly moved a pawn Ash hadn't even noticed before and checkmated him… again…

"We are going to keep playing until I beat you!" He laughed.

"It's more probable we arrive to Hoenn before that happens" Jaime's eyes were fixed on the sunset.

"Hey don't be so cocky!" Ash was still laughing.

"I am being serious, I can see Lilycove's contest dome from here"

"What!?" Ash span on his chair knocking down some of the chess pieces. Pikachu growled at him and put them back on the table.

As Jaime had said, they were about to arrive in Lilycove, they could already see the harbour and some of the city's biggest buildings, such as the contest dome, the lighthouse, and farther in the distance, the enormous shopping centre.

"This is mad…" Ash muttered.

"Not mad, just fairly odd"

Twenty minutes later they were back on dry land, Jaime noticeably un-balanced.

As soon as they left the harbours and walked the empty streets towards the contest dome, where according to Jaime, there were still 2 more days of contests, so Dawn was bound to be there, a female figure crossed in their path.

Jaime recognized her from the ferry, it was the one that had been looking at Ash suspiciously as they got on.

She was now dressed in blue pants, a short white and blue striped top and a bandana with a white pirate A on the front. Four other men appeared from behind the dustbins dressed in similar clothes.

Jaime took a step back instinctively, "Shit, we've been framed" he thought.

"Team Aqua! You are in this too!?" Ash yelled at the woman.

She opened her mouth to answer but before any noise came out she quickly closed it and glared at a spot behind Ash.

Ash turned, Magma administrator Tabitha and six Magma grunts where behind him, Tabitha's evil grin headed straight for the Aqua administrator.

"Shelly, welly, how come you aren't selling seashells in the sea-shore?"

"Tabitha…"

Before he knew it Ash found himself being pushed back by Jaime, pokeballs flew as each group called their pokemon out for combat.

"Sorry Shelly, but orders are orders, you are going down"

"Not a chance fool! Team Aqua, attack!"

"Team Magma! Show no mercy!"

Jaime looked at Ash.

"We better do something, and fast"

Ash nodded and picked a pokeball out of his belt.


	7. Unexpected Allies

Chapter 7: Unexpected Allies

Sorry for taking so long! But I am back on business! Thanks to everyone who commented, cookies for you all, if you hadn't been so great I probably would have sent all this to the trash pile…

Disclaimer: God, no, I don't own the Pokémon Company! You'd have noticed if I did because the anime would be rated 18 + and turned into a yaoi…

Chapter 7: Unexpected Allies

Ash was running with Jaime at his right gasping for his breath and Shelly on his left thanking him for his deed. Behind them were the four Team Aqua grunts.

"I swear that wasn't quite what I had in mind" Jaime panted.

"Trust me, Team Aqua are our allies if they are fighting against Team Magma"

"True enough, the boss will explain everything later, now just follow me!"

Shelly ran in front of them headed straight for Lilycove harbour.

Tabitha looked at his grunts with a murderous expression.

"What do you mean none of you have a fire pokemon?!"

"We just have our Myghtyenas! Anyways aren't you the one who always boasted about an invincible Camerupt?"

Tabitha decided to ignore the last comment, after the battle with the blonde brat his camerupt was still in recovery, and now he was mortally afraid of water, when one of the pokemon doctors suggested putting a moist towel over his forehead so he could relax he had burst into tears.

"Very well then, we shall have to wait for the ice to melt…"

Tabitha was furious, that Ketchum boy was going to pay for this. How dare he interfere in a battle between Team Aqua and Team Magma? Nobody had expected him to call out a freaking Glalie and freeze Team Magma's feet solid.

"Commander?" One of the grunts sheepishly called out Tabitha.

"Yes?"

"What do we report to Maxie?"

Tabitha's legs shook violently, and he wasn't sure if it was because of the cold or of the fear the idea of informing Maxie about his provoked on him.

Shelly guided Ash and Jaime, along with the other team Aqua grunts to an old warehouse and kicked the door open. Without stopping she ran to a tall apparently normal wooden box and whispered something that no-one could hear near its hinges. The door sprang open.

"This is the one of the many doors to our Lilycove Base, please, enter, our boss desires to speak with you"

"And if we don't want to?" Asked Jaime, always critical.

"You don't have to, but after the trouble we have all taken, you two included, to get here, it'd be rather foolish of you"

Jaime liked the answer and smiled, he looked at Ash who nodded and followed Shelly down the stairs inside the fake box.

Ash and Pikachu opened their mouths simultaneously in the exact same gesture expressing the shared emotion, amazement. After a long descent on crude rock stairs, the party was greeted by a modern hall with fashionable glass and steel tables and chairs. Team aqua members were sharing papers, coffees and teleporting elsewhere through the teleport bricks on the far side of the hall. Shelly allowed the duo a few second to quench their eyesight and then went to one of the bricks, she then pressed a few buttons on the wall introducing a code. The brick glowed blue and the team aqua logo appeared on it.

"Aqua leader Archie shall see you both now"

Jaime stepped forwards but doubted before finally stepping on the teleport brick. Sensing his fear Ash put his arm around Jaime's shoulder. Pikachu patted Jaime's neck lightly. Together the two humans and the pokemon stepped into the brick and vanished in a shower of sparks. Shelly smiled with genuine happiness on her face; she had half expected a last minute rebellion, she made a gesture to the rest of the grunts in her team so they could have a break and followed Ash and Jaime into Archie's office.

Archie was waiting for them, dressed in an expensive looking deep blue suit, with a matching bandana with the team aqua "A" proudly on its front, he had an unruly black beard and thick strands came from under the bandana, through his thick eyebrows a glint of pale blue seemed to glow in sincere joy as he saw the two boys appear in front of him. Archie proceeded to strike a match into his pipe as soon as the boys stepped forward and Shelly appeared behind them. Ash and Jaime were amazed at the beauty, Archie's office was downright cool, expensive carpet on the floor, white shiny walls, ancient boat figurines, a crackling fireplace and an amazing arrange of books in white and golden shelves all around the impressive transparent glassy monument that was Archie's table and his glass chair behind. But more amazing then the materials or designs, were the views, the colossal glass window that was right behind Archie's table showed, the sea, in all its splendour. Archie's office was directly in front of a coral reef, and the sea was colourful and vibrant with life and movement.

Both Archie and Shelly respected their guest's awe and thirst of assimilating all they were viewing, but Archie cleared his throat to bring them back to the world when he considered introductions had to be made.

"Ash, Ash, you brave boy, you haven't changed one bit since the time we coincided with Kyogre and Groudon back in the old days when you were still a trainer!" Archie took Ash's hand and shook it vigorously, he then shook one of his fingers with Pikachu while still saluting "You li'l rascal you, still getting this cabin-boy here outta trouble everyday aren't you?" he then took hold of Jaime's hand and shook it energically "And you, we heard of your act back in Viridian, but I am afraid that's all we know of you! Well, that and that you have quite a daring nerve like my friend here and a quick mind to go with it!"

Jaime looked taken aback at the familiarities and stuttered "My name is Jaime Solnoid sir…"

Archie's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to make a comment on this but was interrupted by Ash.

"Aw yeah! Archie! I knew I could trust you guys as soon as I saw team magma! But, what is all this stuff about team rocket, magma and galactic allying? Have you got any clue of what they are up to?"

"Ash! M'boy, quick to the business as usual! Well, that is the reason I had you brought down here"

Shelly spoke up, she was a truly beautiful woman, and now that the her face wasn't strained as it was during the rescue mission like she was smiling and in a relaxed position, she was truly something.

"That's the reason we brought you two here" She explained. "News of Oak getting kidnapped flew all over the world as soon as you contacted Viridian city's officer Mara, and we knew for a fact team Magma allied team Rocket and team Galactic out of personal experience…"

"Aye" Said Archie "The damn fools actually tried to attack me! Shame they bit of more then they could chew!" He laughed openly, somehow managing to balance his pipe in his feet. The smell of expensive English tobacco drifted past Jaime reminding him suddenly of a little detail he had not given thought to for the last few minutes.

"But wait, you guys are criminals too!" He burst out.

Ash stomped on his foot while giving him the "hush!" look; however Archie and Shelly just looked at each other and laughed more.

"Yeah, I suppose we are, in the sense that our work is in a different line from that of the world, but our main purpose is just to protect the oceans, and if the law gets in our way, too bad for it" Shelly explained.

"You see boys, we will stop at nothing, and I mean at nothing to defend the oceans, the few things we respect are pokemon's dignity and humans as well, that's why no matter how much we may steal, you'll never be able to blame team Aqua with a human or pokemon death or mis-treat!" Archie informed the teenagers.

"It was like that with team Magma too, at least since a short while ago, only that they defended the land, but lately, I think that Maxie's lost it completely" He continued

Shelly then took his speech.

"And since we know for sure that he can't be up to no good, and that Oak didn't vanish out of thin air, we abducted you so you could fill us in with data"

Ash looked at the dastardly duo he had in front. They made a splendid team, and they weren't bad people. Had he been asked three years ago, he would have probably sent them to hell, but the proof was in front of him, team Aqua actually wanted to help. Ash looked at Jaime, his initial mistrust had evaporated, and he was looking at Shelly and Archie with some admiration in his eyes. Ash grasped the back of two glass chairs in front of him, offered one to Jaime and then sat down himself comfortably in front of Archie.

He then opened his mouth and started speaking.

"Are you eager about seeing your mates again?" Ash asked while Pikachu was playing with a stray lock of hair coming from under his cap.

Jaime smiled and nodded happily in response.

After telling everything to Archie and Shelly over tea, coke, coffee and brandy he had thanked them both most courteously and guided them personally out of the base after he had made them promise they wouldn't endanger themselves any more unless it was absolutely necessary. Shelly and Matt, the highest ranked Aqua members besides Archie himself where send to Littleroot town and Sandem town to locate and summon the remaining professors. And until they returned with news Jaime and Ash where stuck in Lilycove city for the time being. Being only five in the afternoon Jaime decided to have a look-see in the contest dome to check if his friends where there and Ash, more hyper then usual due to the cokes drank in Archie's office, required no further suggesting. Jaime practically ran the last few steps separating them from the big, glass doors tinted by the twilight's orange glow and pushed one of them with little effort while Ash was panting to catch up. No sooner had Jaime opened the door, a blue and pink bolt, smashed against him, knocking him to the floor.

"Dawn!?" Jaime exclaimed in disbelief, sure enough, pink skirt, white hat, it was Dawn alright and she seemed in a bad mood.

"Oh great! Now you too!? How many freaking rivals am I going to get for this supposed EASY RIBBON!?"

She ran past him towards the Pokémon centre and los herself in the night.

Lukas and Rosendo came out and helped Jaime back on his feet, followed by a pretty brunette and a guy, older then them, with the most gorgeous unruly green hair and dazzling green eyes that Jaime had ever seen, taking his breath away, he was even more shocked when he hear Ash salute them in such familiarity.

"May, Drew! Long time no see! What happened to Dawn?"


	8. Ribbon Fever

Disclaimer: God don't you know it by heart already? No, don't own Pokémon just plot and Jaime.

Oh, by the way, Rosendo is supposed to be the rival from diamond and pearl, I didn't know his name in English so I just used the predetermined name in my Spanish game I used. Well, enjoy the reading!

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Chapter eight: Ribbon fever

They were all sitting in the Pokémon centre's lobby. Jaime was distilling happiness from all of the pores in his body, the news Lukas and Rosendo were giving him were beyond great, they rocked! The contest had been postponed due the news of professors Samuel Oak and Felina Ivy had forced the police to postpone the contest while enforcing security, which had taken them two days, the two Jaime had spent away, so with his contest pass submitted, he was already in the contest that would finally begin tomorrow.

Lukas was sipping a coke while he filled his friend in with the data and Rosendo merely shrugged every now and then to confirm it. Like Dawn he was ticked off. He was a trainer, not a coordinator, and had signed up just to annoy Dawn and to try to beat her or at least be an obstacle, but now it was him up against Dawn, the dreamy dancer, Jaime, the temperamental artist (their self-proclaimed titles) and May and Drew which were both famous coordinators, and the idols of Dawn and Jaime respectively, sure enough, this was going to be a crushing defeat…

Ash was loafing in a sofa scratching Pikachu's ears and listening to all May had to tell him, Drew was reading a magazine ignoring all the noise around him, with that air of supreme elegance so typical to him. He wasn't in a good mood either, but it wasn't because of the contests, none of the brats, not even May would be trouble for him, but May herself… they had been stony for a few weeks now, and he was royally sick and tired of it. He had been sincere with May and told her he was really bisexual, however the coordinator instead of accepting it like he thought she would was now paranoid about him cheating on her and their relationship was deteriorating rapidly. If he was to save, at least their friendship he would have to act soon.

Dawn came down from her room a while after, visibly more cooled down and suggested going for dinner. Everyone quickly agreed and May was swift to whip out a restaurant guide from her waist pack. She immediately took them to a buffet not far from the centre that specialised in Asiatic food.

With their plates loaded (trays in Ash's and Jaime's case) they proceeded to sit down and discuss the recent kidnaps and alliances between the crime syndicates.

"How do you know that team Aqua is not pulling your leg? Maybe they are in league with the others all along" Lukas was quick to point out.

Drew made a "psh" sound which earned him a glare from Lukas that went ignored while May proceeded to explain in her gentle voice.

"Like Ash said before, Team Aqua and Team Magma pursue different objectives, it would be totally against their own philosophy to form an alliance"

"That and what Archie said, he told us that though with the objective of defending oceans and land respectively, never had any of the two teams dared to use cruelty against Pokémon until now that Team Magma allied with Team Rocket and Team Galactic. I am sure Archie is now more disgusted then ever with Team Magma" reasoned Jaime.

"Possibly what was a healthy rivalry with some… chaotic battles like the Groundon-Kyogre one has now turned into a total war… I can't see what the Allied Teams are planning though" Questioned Drew while elegantly flicking away a lock of hair that was falling on his eye and putting a piece of sushi in his mouth with delicacy.

"Like anyone cares what they are up to! Listen, I saw along with Ash, Dawn and Lukas what Team Galactic did to get hold of three legendaries from Sinnoh and they blew up a lake!"

"For once Rosendo is right, we shouldn't worry to much about what they want to do and just foil their plans by any means" Piped in Dawn.

"Yes, but we should wait for Aqua's shout, so far they are taking charge and lets face it, they are much better prepared then us for these type of things" Mumbled Ash with a full mouth.

Jaime smacked him on the back of his head forcing him to swallow and then asked him.

"What about Misty, Brock, Gary and Tracey?"

Ash was turning blue, it took another smack, this time from Dawn who was fretting with worry and a magazine that came flying from Drew and landed flat on his face to clear up the blockage in his throat, after which he answered.

"No clue, but I am not worried about them, they all know how to take care of themselves"

"And the remaining professors?" Lukas asked.

"The police has got them covered, along with team Aqua, under cover I suppose, and Misty and Brock are with Elm by now I suppose" Ash answered.

"They managed to take Oak and Ivy by an excellent use of the surprise factor, now the whole world is in alarm, it won't be that easy to get anywhere near the remaining three" Drew noted.

Feeling the conversation was not taking a good turn and that they were glooming by seconds Ash quickly asked the coordinators what they were planning to do tomorrow for the contest which somehow cheered them up for the rest of the exquisite dinner.

--

The woman stood on the edge of the cliff, her incredibly long blonde wavy hair undulating behind her along with her long black coat. Her silvery eyes were fixed on the high mountain in front of her.

The man finally managed to catch up with her, his silvery grey hair, matching his eyes, also dancing in the strong wind, as were the flaps of his elegant jacket.

"That took you long, are you out of practice?"

"Aw come on give me a break, I haven't slept in more then a day"

The woman laughed and turned around directing the man a honest smile that made him blush.

"I am still surprised you came here rather then focus on protecting Professor Birch"

The man looked abashed and smiled widely when he answered.

"It's like you said, the important stuff is going around here. If we cut whatever is going on from the roots, it won't shoot back up again"

He then paused to enjoy the view a little more.

"So that is the famous Mt. Coronet?"

The woman's eyes narrowed.

"You are telling me you really haven't seen it before?"

"Come on, the most I've seen of Sinnoh is the beautiful castle in which I occasionally meet with your elite"

The woman stepped away from the cliff's edge and began descending the hill.

"We'll have to put a remedy to that… but for now let's return to Heathrome city, we have urgent business to attend"

"And after that?"

"Canalave to get back to Hoenn"

"You sure got it all planned"

The woman looked down rather sadly.

"No, not all I'm afraid…"

The man reached around her shoulders with his arm and smiled as the beautiful young lady rested her head upon his shoulder.

--

"He certainly does love to sleep… it's the second time he does this to me" Ash commented with an impish grin. He was carrying Jaime on his arms, who was totally dozed off, he hadn't resisted the long walk in the park. Dawn turned her head brusquely swiping Rosendo's face with her long blue hair and looked at Ash and Jaime.

"You too look so sweet together!"

Ash blushed deeply and looked down at the sleeping blonde's face, he definitely was adorable.

May and Drew were walking behind them, they seemed to be arguing about something, and the argument got more and more violent with every second, finally May looked angrily at Drew "If you are going to be so moody I'll leave you alone!" she snapped and ran forwards towards Ash and the others.

"Are you two going out now?" She asked Ash.

Ash was so surprised he nearly dropped Jaime.

"No! You know I like Gary, it's just we've become close friends!"

"Quite close!" Sniggered Lukas, earning himself a blazing look from Dawn.

Ash just looked up at the sky and said nothing. He was thinking about his brunette friend.

--

It was freezing. Why did Lorelei have to live so freaking far from the mandarine city? They had been walking for two hours after leaving the helicopter in the heliport in the city and dusk had fallen upon them.

"Gary look!"

"What now?! Another Pokémon you want to draw?!" The fuming brunette snapped.

"No idiot, look! In the big house on the hill! There's light! Lorelei's there!"

They ran the last couple of meters, winged by their hope and basically slammed their fist on the doorbell.

A benign, beautiful, curvy figure in a long cerulean robe covering her pale blue pyjamas opened the door fairly curious about whom it could be at this time of night. Surely the fans were long away?

She found a defiant teal gaze fixed upon her.

"Lady Lorelei, we find you at last"

--

"Rise and shine Ash! If you don't come see me coordinate I'll decapitate you with a napkin!"

Jaime tugged on his friend sheets and took them away to reveal Ash in his boxers and that tan chest he had fallen against some days ago.

Blushing madly he proceeded to plan be and made a signal to Pikachu while he fled back to the bathroom to give his sleek blonde hair the finishing touches.

Used to Ash's tardiness Pikachu recurred to the shock wake up which resulted in a shell shocked Ash trying to find his pants in the mess of his bag.

After hastily dressing up with some pale jeans and an orange T-shirt he put on his sneakers and heard a voice behind him.

"Well, what do you think?"

Ash spun around and felt his jaw slam against the floor in awe. Jaime looked incredible.

He had flattened his hair even more then normal so some silver blonde strands fell on is eyes and covered his ears slightly. He was wearing a lilac and white striped shirt with golden patterns and jet black pants with a set of chains hanging from them. His bracelets and necklace where the same as ever, but now they added an air of sophistication and from under the pants gleamed a pair of black shoes so shiny ash could see himself reflected on them. With his shirt outside his pants, Jaime had deliberately left the top and bottom buttons without doing, adding an air of casualness that added to his elegance and an ethereal air with the bottom part of the shirt moving with the air. He had also rolled back his sleeves slightly to expose his pale forearms.

"God you look real nice" Ash heard himself say, but he wasn't sure he said anything, he was still awing at the younger boy.

Jaime laughed and blushed in glee, he focused his emerald gaze on Ash's obsidian one.

"I'm off, make sure Lukas gets a good place with you ok?"

Ash gulped and nodded. Like he would have refused anything that angelic figure had told him.

Jaime left the room making it seem suddenly much darker to Ash who stayed immobile for quite a few seconds until Pikachu rolled his eyes and shocked his master yet again.

The contest dome was full to the brim. Thanks to his international position, Ash got himself and Lukas some magnificent seats in the VIP zone, usually reserved for gym leaders and Pokémon professors.

--

"God nobody told me you had to dress fancy for this!"

"You idiot! Haven't you learned anything from watching Jaime or me coordinate?!" Dawn was shouting at Rosendo who showed up in jeans and sneakers. Dawn herself was wearing a pale pink knee-length dress of some silky shiny material with many bows and laces, Drew was dressed in a black suit with a violet shirt underneath and wearing a deep green bowtie and May was dressed in a longer dress, made out of a clear blue material with a flowing pattern drawn on it with darker blues.

"Well I learned you got to do fancy things, but there's a difference between that and dressing like it's somebody's wedding just for a stupid contest!" Rosendo answered back.

Drew smirked and looked down while leaning softly against the wall.

"Wrong comment" he murmured.

Immediately all the coordinators waiting to participate started shouting and yelling and Rosendo to shut up, visibly irritated May, Jaime and Dawn put an end to the discussion.

"You stupid, disrespectful, pathetic excuse for a trainer and cheaper excuse for a coordinator, this ribbon will be mine so don't even dream of having it!" Dawn shrieked while glowing red with fury.

"If you think this is so stupid let's see how you stand the first round, I'll pleasantly surprised if you even get past that! This ribbon will be mine and with this victory I'll show you some respect!" May snapped at a now very scared Rosendo.

"You call this stupid? Don't make me laugh, the only stupid thing here is you, and it's nothing compared to what it will be by the time I get that ribbon crushing you in the way" Jaime shouted.

Drew raised his head and crossed his arms, this could get quite nasty.

The three coordinators who had just shouted at Rosendo who was now totally freaked out panted for a few seconds before each other's words sank in. Then they suddenly fired up and shouted at each other's faces.

"The ribbon is mine!"

The three off them backed away as much as possible stomping and with a fuming expression.

Drew chuckled and looked back down at his feet.

"Divide and conquer, and they did it all by themselves too… Gosh this will be fun…" he muttered.

--

--

--

Hope you liked it, cyber cookies to whoever guesses who the man and woman are.


	9. Happy occasion, rupture

Disclaimer: No, don't own Pokémon, yet…

Chapter nine: Happy occasion, rupture.

Drew snapped his fingers, the white luminous whirlwind that his Absol had been maintaining until then exploded to a silvery blade shot out of the pokemon's head with a casual move.

The whole stage was covered in a dancing shimmering light of both white and silver that softly faded into nothingness, and in the middle of that were Absol and Drew looking arrogantly at the sky.

The Contest Dome erupted in cheering, Soledad, a former coordinator that now was a contest commentator shouted out Drew's score, a 28.75 out of 30, he along with May, who had obtained a 29 with a stupendous effort from her Wartortle, Dawn that had made a fairly good show with her Pachisiru, Rosendo that miracously got a 25.6 with his Staraptor and three other trainers, who had got surprisingly high scores would be sure to pass on to the next round.

Soledad walked to the centre of the stage with her salmon dress flowing behind her. All the audience stared at her as if she was a holy being, and sure enough she had a fresh beauty that stuck all eyes on her figure. She shot the arm that was holding the microphone up in the sky. The cheering and shouting for Drew's show died down and with her sweet and delicate voice Soledad announced the last participant for the exhibition round.

"Now for our final coordinator, all the way from Sinnoh, has participated in the Sinnoh Grand Festival and reached a position within the top 16, please a big hand for Jaime Solnoid!"

Jaime's teeth were near to chattering when he got on the stage, in his eyes burned a determination that could crush a mountain, though not his nerves. He stopped and took a long breath which he proceeded to let out slowly.

"I'm coordinating, this is what I love, what I live for… what Ash has come to see…"

He opened his eyes, an emerald gleam shined from deep within them and all fear vanished.

He tossed a pokéball up in the air while shouting with glee.

"Bella, take the stage!"

A shiny Bellosom with lilac skin and pale pink flowers came out of the pokéball in a shower of confetti and flower petals that fell in spirals. The audience gawked at the display and clapped furiously.

Up in the seats, within the crowd Ash was staring with his mouth wide open. He now understood the importance of clothes in contests and the care and delicacy Jaime had taken to dress that morning. His violet shirt clashed perfectly with his Bellosom's unusual colours, and like a dancing couple, they began their exhibition.

Jaime stomped and raised his hand with a proud gesture above his head. Bella spun around him while dancing and the warm air in the contest dome got colder and darker. People began looking at each other waiting for something else to happen but nothing did, Jaime was still as a stone and Bella kept dancing around him. Ash surprised felt like a bucket of cold water fell over him as the audience murmured critics and looked upward as if begging for help.

He yelped, other people looked up too and gasped and wowed. Through the glass roof of the contest dome… they couldn't see the midday sun, they saw an enormous full moon against the black sky from which pale blue and pink petals appeared to be falling.

The petals weren't really falling from the false moon, but appeared almost on the very top on the ceiling and fell on the stage and on the seats. The spectators were fascinated. Bella's Dance finished and with one long fluid move Jaime threw himself on his knees to take the Pokémon's hand as the final petals fell. When the last one was on the floor Bella and he separated on a step of tango and he clapped, the dome was suddenly engulfed in light falling from the sky, the illusion had ended and so had the exhibition. The audience cheered and clapped themselves as he called back his Pokémon. Ash shouted himself hoarse and Lukas clapped happily, he had never seen that particular show before and was as pleasantly surprised as the rest of the people.

Jaime got down from the stage and waited for his score leaning against a wall. He looked back and saw May and Dawn who refused to look at him, Rosendo, who smiled sheepishly but said nothing and Drew who got up from his chair and patted him in the shoulder, without irony, but with his trademark devilish smile. Jaime blushed but nodded in appreciation.

Soledad was already walking back into the arena after talking with the judges, Saul from the art gallery, the local Nurse Joy and old gentlemen who seemed to be the owner of the Lilycove shopping centre. The judges had been murmuring between them for quite a long time, and were now looking forwards once more. Soledad waited for the clapping, cheering and whistling to die down and proceeded to shout out Jaime's results.

"For a daring use of the moonlight move in combination with petal dance and his dancing techniques, and for a very unexpected, perhaps too much so, exhibition Jaime Solnoid from the Sinnoh region gets a total score of 28.95 points and classifies for the second round!"

Jaime jumped in glee but immediately controlled himself to hear the rest.

Behind Soledad the massive screen was now showing pictures of the eight participants that had passed on to the second round. The photos shuffled while Soledad explained the second round, which would consist in a series of double battles in tournament style until a winner was determined. Finally the eight pictures arranged themselves; Rosendo would face Jessica, a participant with weird long pink hair. May was going to battle Jeremy a guy in his twenties that loved water types. Drew would be battling Dawn and Jaime was up against Lily, another plant enthusiast.

Soledad announced the order of the battles and got out of the stage letting Rosendo and Jessica get on the stage.

Rosendo was not going to go easy on anyone, he had done far better then expected, and within his crazed hyperactive mind and idea had taken shape. He had already gotten further then expected and now all that was left was a series of battles, which was his line of action, and not the one of those flower power brained coordinators. With all his might he threw the poke balls belonging to his Empoleon and his Roserade and got ready to march his way to victory.

The opposing trainer laughed eccentrically and declared her intention of winning; she threw out two poke balls and sent out a Wobuffet and a Yanmega that appeared in flashes of pink light. Rosendo gritted his teeth; he had expected the Seviper she had used in her exhibition round, which would had been all but a joke to his Empoleon due to the type differences. But no matter, this wouldn't be a problem.

"Charge at the Wobuffet Empoleon! Roserade, try bullet seeding that Yanmega out of the sky!"

Empoleon rampaged like a war tank and slammed against the Wobuffet who like a punching bag fell backwards without his feet moving from the floor and sprang back up in a melodramatic theatrical gesture with one of his hand over his forehead.

With the inertia of the bounce, Wobuffet sent Empoleon flying backwards were he crash-landed heavily, unable to get up again.

"Yes Wobuffet keep it up! Keep getting your bum kicked like your life depended on it!" Jessica squeaked with enormous glee.

Rosendo's Roserade shot seeds in a rampage trying to send the Yanmega crashing back into the ground, but the plant-type attack barely scratched the bug Pokémon. Jessica yelled at Yanmega to use silver wind and in a gust of metallic particles, Roserade was flown out of the arena loosing the fight.

While Jessica celebrated her sheer luck claiming it as complex technique, Meowth and James watched the contest from some of the top seats pathetically disguised with glasses, long coats and false moustaches.

"Say Meowth, imagine Jessie actually wins the brats and gets the ribbon?"  
"Come on James, to beat the twerps we'd need a miwacle, How bout this, if Jessie wins I put on that dreadful cat bell collar she bought!"

"I'll take your word on that cherished friend"

The crowd was cheering, the battle had been absurdly quick however it had also been quite hilarious. Ash and Lukas were laughing and clapping and quite anxious to see the next round.

"I wonder how the next battle is going to turn out" Ash asked to no one in particular.

Somebody's arm grabbed his neck from behind while a fist started ruffling his hair. Ash jumped but the person he had behind had already leaped in front of him.

"Kellyn!" Ash cried when he saw the top Pokémon ranger.

"Hey there Ash-boy!" The ranger smiled happily. His look then turned stone serious and as he grabbed ash by the cuff of his shirt in front of a very bewildered Lukas murmured.

"The contest is going to be aborted, Birch Has been taken and Archie barely escaped with his life"

Ash's eyes widened while Lukas stepped back in horror. Below, on the stage, a running officer Jenny made her way to Soledad and spoke quickly in her ear.

"There it is" Said Kellyn gesturing to the flustered officer Jenny.

* * *

Jaime couldn't believe his ears that had to be wrong, it just had to! The contest was cancelled!?

The crowd had already left, noticeably distressed by Jenny's announcement, Professor Birch had been Kidnapped, his laboratory in littleroot town, savaged. And yet, Jaime didn't consider it sufficient reason to delay the contest, neither did Drew, May or Dawn, all of them looking noticeably surly while they all, along with a ranger, apparently friend of Ash talked about what to do.

Kellyn had introduced himself to the extremely furious coordinators and Rosendo and told them that he had been sent by high ranked official in Sinnoh to Archie in Hoenn, and from him to Ash and Co, only Birch getting kidnapped implied a change of plans, and instead of acting in Hoenn, the group would have to travel to Sinnoh.

"Forget it! I am sick of this! I am going straight to Petalburg this instant to talk with my dad! I am royally sick and tired of working besides the law!" May yelled at the ranger whose eyes widened in disbelief at the rude response.

"Oh, yeah, going back to daddy so he can help right?" Drew sneered with unexpected venom.

"Shut up you arrogant freak!" May fired up immediately.

"Maybe we should all take a deep breath" Dawn suggested.

"Piss off, I'm sick of this father-baby girl!" Drew exploded. The contest he had hoped for getting May back in her place and stop her paranoids about him was now but nothing, and he was angry.

"Same here! I don't want to see you arrogant idiot ever again! I'm sorry Ash I am leaving for Petalburg" May yelled, she ran away crying into the distance. Ash and the rest turned to face Drew, but the coordinator had already summoned his flygon from his pokeball and was mounting.

"I'm not going to babysit you kids, my working with brats is finished" He spat before flying off.

Rosendo cursed and span around to start walking in the opposite direction from the group. He raised his hand up in an arrogant gesture to say goodbye.

"I'm through working with coordinators"

Dawn gasped shocked, her fists balled up and she stomped before shrieking.

"Fine! You idiot! I am trough working with trainers!"

She lost herself in the night running in the opposite direction as Rosendo had.

Lukas sighed.

"I'm sorry Ash, I want to help and all, but I can't leave my friends like this, I know you'll understand"

Ash nodded, his eyes were filling with tears, Jaime merely shrugged, he was still angry, and the ranger looked at the night sky.

Lukas left running behind where Dawn had disappeared.

Jaime's grip on his own arms which were crossed strengthened, this was stupid, the contest was going to be his win anyway, he didn't miss any of the other coordinators, and Rosendo had been awfully rude about coordinating anyway. Lukas he didn't have a problem with, but the boy had chosen to leave with his friends, so it was none of his business.

A sudden sound drove the angry blonde out of his bitter thoughts though.

Ash was crying.

Jaime froze in his thoughts and span, Ash had kneeled down and was crying, with Kellyn patting his back and looking at Jaime with and pleading look so he would take over.

Jaime crouched down and heard Ash sob.

"But it was supposed to be a happy occasion…"

* * *

Author's note, aaw, so sad… what will happen now?

And who were the two people from the last chapter? That blonde woman and grey haired man? Will they be important for the story-line?

Read and Review!


	10. You've still got me right?

Disclaimer: Pokémon's not mine! Yet…

Chapter 10: You've still got me… right?

"Why the stop in Lilycove?" Gary questioned.

Lorelei looked up from the steering wheel of her motor boat. Gary wished she hadn't, she was a by far more reckless driver then he was, and had they been driving a car on land he was sure they would have snuffed at least ten times.

The white, shiny expensive-looking boat jumped wildly over the waves.

"Got a message from a friend, who told me to collect some of your friends over there" The beautiful water master answered with a warm smile.

It had taken her barely a second to recognize the grand Gary Oak and invite them inside for whatever the cause was. Over a cup of warm tea and a brief explanation of the story, Lorelei had changed clothes with amazing speed, collected her pokemon formthe natural pool behind her house and descended with the bewildered trainers to her private dock. She took the keys of her fastest vessel and literally launched to open waters.

"Oh, cool, we collecting Ashy boy then?"

"Yup, him and some blonde coordinator, and a friend of my friend"

"So blondie is still with Ash… And who did you say was this friend of yours?"

Lorelei smiled sweetly and put her hands behind her back, letting go of the steering wheel yet again. The boat jumped wildly and Gary thought he heard Tracey puking onto the sea for the umpteenth time.

"I didn't say" The elite trainer said cutely.

Gary rolled his eyes "Who is he?"

"You'll be told when you get to where we are supposed to get, my friend likes a certain aura of mystique"

Gary whistled, another idea came to him.

"Would it hurt to know our final destination?"

"I suppose not, we are going to Canalave in Sinnoh after picking up your buddies"

"Canalave…"

The city wasn't of much importance to Gary, not as much as the fact that blondie was still with Ash. The blonde was cool, no denying it; he had gotten them out of a tight spot back in Viridian, and was fun to tease. Only… he had this way of looking at Ash with such adoring eyes that it made Gary furious.

Gary opened his mouth when he realised what he had just thought. What did he give how blondie looked at Ash? This was only… natural he had been friends with Ash for ages, just that. There was no need to be jealous just because Ash seemed to have a soft spot for the blode.

Shit.

He had just thought of the words "jealousy" and "Ash" in the same sentence. Could it be? Was he just jealous of blondie sharing all his time with Ash?

He sighed and looked at the blurring ocean, Lorelei humming while giving the steering wheel crazy spins, Tracey vomiting up to his first baby bottle in the back, all disappeared.

Only the concepts Ash, blondie and he himself, superb trainer Gary remained for him.

"This is fucked up" He said to the sea.

* * *

"They will come back; they were just tense about the contest, that's all" Jaime murmured reassuringly in Ash's shoulder.

Ash was sitting on a bench in the docks, Jaime was right next to him, his head leaned in his shoulder, breathing Ash's scent and his nose brushing the tanner boy's neck. Kellyn, the Pokémon ranger was walking around the dock with impatience, the boat that was to take them to Sinnoh, whatever the motives were (the ranger hadn't said) was supposedly arriving soon.

"They'll take some time to cool off though… And they don't know where we are going" Ash mourned.

"But they'll call, and besides… Ash, you've still got me… right?"

Ash looked down and saw Jaime staring at him dead in the eye, his emerald green orbs were inviting, his pink lips were half open, inviting. Ash breathed hard, Tickling Jaime whose eyes sparkled and lips parted slightly more. Ash descended slowly, his mind completely disconnected from his body. Their lips were about to touch…

And a wave of water soaked them.

A boat speeding like a stray bullet flashed past and stopped a few meters ahead, the two boys separated immediately, Ash got up at the same time as Jaime and felt his jaw fall against the floor. His prince charming was here! And he forgot everything else as he ran to the figure who had just jumped of the boat with the usual sneer, wave of messy brown hair, shining teal eyes and typical:  
"Hey there Ashy boy"

The blonde looked like he was ready to kill, thought Kellyn when he crossed him. He was obviously so nuts for Ash… poor kid, anyone who knew Ash had to admit his heart's mate was Gary or at least, that Ash loved Gary with all his might. Though getting to almost kiss with the champion trainer was quite a feat… Kellyn admitted to himself, assuming you aren't professor's Oak grandson that is…

Never one to do a discourtesy Kellyn took off his black jaquet and put it on the drenched blonde, whose fists were balled up and twitching. Remaining only with a snug tank top and his short jean on the cold night air, Kellyn gestured the blonde forwards toward the boat and headed to it.

Jaime walked towards the boat, he smiled at Gary and Tracey.

"Long time no see guys!"

"Likewise blondie" Gary sneered.

"Hey Jaime, I missed you! Oh dude I got to show you my drawings!" a green tinted Tracey cheered.

"Can it wait till tomorrow Tracey? I am tired… and soaked wet… I want to change and sleep… By the way, just who is the insane person that's been driving this?"  
"That would be me Jaime" A female voice came from the boat.

"Lorelei… it just had to be you…" Jaime smiled.

"You two know each other?" Kellyn asked.

"Yeah, my cousin used to invite her over when we were little, you were also a mad bicycle driver then, it seems you have progressed!"

Lorelei beamed and offered her hand to help Jaime aboard, Kelly jumped on and Gary lifted Ash in his arms and jumped aboard himself.

Gary let Ash on the boat's surface and turned to Jaime.

"Blondie, Tracey, Ash and I are sleeping in the right cabin, you can go with Kellyn on the left one ok?"

Jaime smiled and nodded, he laughed when he heard Tracey comment.

"Assuming you can sleep with this insane woman driving…"

"Nighty Ash" Jaime said.

Ash looked away from Gary whom with he was already chatting again and winked, only to return to the conversation in seconds. Jaime picked up his bag from the floor, where Kellyn had left it after lifting it on board and went to the left cabin where he closed the door after him.

And kicked his bag into the first bed he saw with incredible strength.

He was pissed off.

Gary, Gary, Gary all over the place, Gary had to come and screw up his kiss with Ash, Gary had to say the typical phrase that made Ash melt to butter, Gary had to lift him to the boat like a prince, Gary everything!

Jaime was shivering, but not with cold, it was rage, pure, solid, burning rage. His hands were balled into fists and shaking without control, tears were flowing through his face. Damn that cursed Gary Oak for being so freaking perfect!

He tore off his clothes and put on some boxers and a white T-shirt but he couldn't find himself able to lie on the bed and sleep. He was pacing up and down the small cabin, crying kicking away at his possessions, and cursing Gary to oblivion.

Kellyn came in, one look at Jaime's face would have been enough to send a grown man cowering away but not the stoic top ranger. Instead he lifted an eyebrow while pulling off his black tank top revealing his muscular torso and said something quite brave considering how near a homicidal blonde was.

"Dude, you should chill, he's had it for Gary since ages ago"

Jaime exploded.

Tears weren't just falling from his eyes now, he was crying them out while trying to punch and kick at whatever bit of the Ranger he could get at while mourning about Ash and Gary. The ranger acted as if he didn't feel the feeble and random impacts and instead of pushing the blonde back he pulled him to himself seized his arms lowered his head and kissed him full in the mouth.

Jaime's eyes opened totally while tears still flowed out of the emerald lakes and saw only the closed eyes of the older ranger, who had him locked on to him. He tried to jerk away but the ranger's grip was too strong, eventually he gave into the kiss and calmed down.

When Kellyn noticed the blonde's strength decreasing he let go of him and broke the kiss. He then fixed his chocolate eyes into Jaime's liquid ones and murmured.

"It is unwise to yell your contempt off when the subject of it is next door"

He then smiled at Jaime. "Get some sleep kid, battle might be lost but the war's still ain't over is it?"

Kellyn jumped on his bed and kicked off his pants, shoes and socks, remaining with only a pair of blue boxers as body garments.

A still rather shocked Jaime looked at the older boy stretch and yawn, he looked strong and muscular alright, but he was just so strong, and at the same time… gentle. Jaime sat on his bed and finally lied on it. A thought popped up in his mind though.

"That was my first kiss you know?"

Kellyn turned to look at Jaime, he hadn't even covered himself with the bed sheets. Was he immune to cold? Jaime wondered. A stab of sorrow flashed in the ranger's eyes.

"I'm sorry for it Jaime"

Jaime blushed, smiled and shrugged. He turned towards the wall to look away from the ranger while thinking of the following day. And with the resolution of not letting Gary win that easily fell asleep to dream with himself and Ash.

Kellyn stayed awake for a while longer. He wasn't troubled about kissing the kid, there was nothing personal about it, he would have had a fit otherwise, but he had stolen his first kiss in the act, and that way he was looking at him when he thought of Ash. It was as if it was the boy's own life what had been in the line and those dark, green eyes crying so much.

Poor kid.

Maybe he would hang in with the guys after his official mission had ended, if only to make sure Gary Oak didn't die of a mysterious sudden death. Chuckling with the thought Kellyn yawned and fell asleep, while in the next room Gary and Ash were laughing and chatting, oblivious to the storm that had taken place in the cabin next to them and Tracey was turning progressively greener.


	11. Killing time

Chapter 11: Killing time.

Disclaimer: I own not pokemon!

Jaime woke up to a brusque halt of the boat. He stirred within the sheets still half-way from his blissful rest and the real world. He rubbed his eyes cutely to help focus them and looked around.

Kellyn was out of bed. And by the looks of it had been so for quite a while now. He was still wearing only boxers "Does this guy ever feel the cold!?" thought Jaime, and doing push ups on the floor of the cabin. The sweat was running through his forehead, back and torso. He raised his right arm in mid push up to do a thumbs up to Jaime while smiling broadly.

Jaime was amazed; he hadn't even twitched from changing his balance like that. Had Jaime tried to do one normal push up, he would have probably swallowed the floor at his first try.

Jaime yawned and stretched to stir his drowsiness away. He crackled his fingers and meditated about the possibility of calling out his Tropius for some fruit. He decided against it… the boat would probably sink.

Jaime's gaze lingered on Kellyn. It didn't look as though he was going to finish and leave anytime soon, and Jaime wanted to get changed…

Swallowing his shyness, Jaime put on some jeans over his boxers and took off his shirt to put on a white long sleeve polo. Luckily he didn't notice Kelly chuckling at him due to his timidity to take his shirt off or he would have probably blushed to death.

Jaime muttered something that sounded closely to, "going out for a second" and opened the cabin's door. A blistering cold gust whipped him in the face. Kellyn fell flat on the floor in mid push up and hugged his arms.

"Flipping heck, shut that thing! Did this insane woman take us all the way to the antartic or something?!"

Jaime obediently shut the door with his teeth chattering… a change of clothes would be appropriate he thought. His attention then drifted to Kellyn, with the cold, the rangers nipples had gotten hard and dark, Jaime tried to look somewhere else then the alluring ranger. He opted for looking for some winter clothes in his bag. Luckily he found some of his winter clothes, he changed his normal indigo jeans for some white ones that weren't ripped, changed the white polo for a white woollen pullover and added his pearly scarf and gloves to finish the outfit.

"Damnit… I look like some sort of ghost or something" he concluded after taking a small hand-held mirror from his bag and looking at himself.

"Nah, don't be stupid" The ranger's voice called in from somewhere inside the black tank top he was pulling over his head. "You look more like an angel to me wearing all that white" he finished after getting his limbs and head out of the correct holes.

Jaime's eyes travelled over the ranger once more, taking note that the tank top did little do dissimulate his still stimulated nipples. He tore his eyes from Kellyn yet again and made a gesture with his head as to indicate he was going out.

***

A curse slipped from his lips as he closed the cabin door shut behind him, it was freezing! Perhaps had they gotten lost in the sea and travelled to somewhere much colder? Jaime was trembling, and he wasn't sure if it was because of the cold or because of the terrifying possibility. He jumped onto the bridge and opened the glass door that led to the main cabin only to have a pillow thrown at his face.

"Come on Blondie, close that thing we are freezing our asses off in here!" Gary Oak demanded. Ash was sitting next to him in the couch giggling. Lorelei was leaning against the steering wheel, holding a cup of hot cocoa between her fingers.

"A cup of something hot Jaime?" She offered.

"That would be pleasant… as would it be to know where in blazes we are right now" The blonde accepted.

"Not really bright are you Blondie? We are already in Canalave, and this is the region from where you are?" Gary sneered.

Ash mock-punched his arm, to which Gary counterattacked tickling Ash's stomach, Pikachu looked away with a bored expression and Jaime's lips thinned as he bit his lower one. Luckily Lorelei came forth with his own ration of hot cocoa and though the sweet, creamy liquid made his aching stomach settle, the burning sensation it had from seeing Ash and Gary act all… Lovey-dovey he thought with disgust, had not quite disappeared.

"We don't really know why, but this is Canalave, that we are sure of, the thing is, as you noticed, the temperature doesn't quite seem to be the appropriate… I' am going to get Pikachu's winter gear ready. Aren't you eager to put on that woolly hat I made you little buddy?"

The electric Pokémon's widened in fear and he jumped towards Gary, only to be caught by Ash in midair, he resisted by thrusting and kicking away while Ash carried him easily with one arm.

"Ash, don't forget to wake up Tracey for me ok?" Gary called from the couch while stretching his legs wider.

"Hey, who do you think I am, your wife or something?" Ash smiled back.

Gary winked and dragged a finger from his lips, down his neck, across his broad chest, down his flat stomach and left it just over his belt. "You know you'd want it" he sneered.

And Ash, giggling and redder then a magmar fed on chilly left skipping… knowing he did, after all want it.

Jaime remained inexpressive while Lorelei giggled away. Damn that got him on his nerves. He had to get away from the lovey-dovey pair pronto or he was going to end up strangling Gary… that or just throwing himself at Ash… none of which was quite a good option.

"Hey, Lorelei, thanks for the cocoa. Incidentially, since we are in Canalave, I think I am going to drop by the library, I assume you don't mind?" Jaime asked.

"Nah, go ahead, when my contact… er contacts me I'll let you know, you have your pokewatch with you no? Good then! But the cocoa is none of my deed by the way, thank Gary here, he used his own secret recipe"

Jaime spun to look at Gary as soon as Lorelei said that. The emerald pools were wide in utter disbelief and cold with rage. He nodded politely thought, left the cup and went back to his cabin for his pokeballs.

"Kellyn, I'm off to the library, make sure to tell Ash, were he to look at something other then Mr. Perfect and notice I am gone of course"

Kellyn opened his mouth but said nothing, just nodded, he then threw Jaime a kiss with his hand, winking peevishly as he did so and gave him the thumbs up, he then went back to just lying on the bed with his arms crossed behind his head and lost himself in his own thoughts again.

***

Jaime jumped from the boat onto the dock. Indeed, it was Canalave, but it was a Canalave covered in snow, and with its fountains frozen into solid ice sculptures that glistened in the frail sunlight that managed to pierce the pearly mist.

Oh well, no time to stop and admire the beauty more then strictly necessary, things had to be done. He headed towards the gym and kicked the snow of his shoes before entering.

Byron's taste in the matter of decoration is still yet nowhere to be found in existence… The coordinator thought. Not to mention the fact that the whole gym was made of steel made is even chillier inside then out. Jaime let the air out of his mouth slowly only to observe how it was exhaled as a white cloud. He rolled his eyes and headed for the switch in the floor that was going to transport him to begin the gym's particular puzzle.

Yet nothing happened.

He raised his eyebrow and stomped on the swith, once again, no reaction.

"Damnit" he cursed.

"It's not working pimp, the cold has busted the whole mechanism. I take battles down here now while this crap is up" A strong voice boomed from behind him.

Jaime turned with a smile in his face and his eyes shut cutely.

"Pimp? Is that anyway to refer to a friendly visit Byron cherished friend?"

The gym leader took a step back, and almost tripped with his cape.

"The young Solnoid! What are you doing stepping in a gym? Are you through with them contests?"

The smile faded and the emerald eyes opened with a cold expression.

"Not a chance, I'm here on business and short on time to top it all. Thus I shall be brief. Tell my brother to contact me, as soon as possible too, something big is happening, I'm sure you have read about it in the news. Tell cousin to look for me too if you by any chance find her"

Byron grinned. "You in this mess then young solnoid?"

"Oh, well, an accurate way of describing it, though it recurs to the type of language I'd rather avoid is saying I'm in deep, deep shit"

Byron laughed hard, he wiped his tears off and gave Jaime the thumbs up, "Count on me, little shrimp, I'll tell all the leaders to try to get someone somehow to sunnyshore to alert your bro, and as for your cousin… well, I'll look for her alright, but you know she will appear anyway if she's needed"

Jaime jumped towards Byron and hugged him, he was kind of like an uncle to him.

"I knew I could count on you… I'm off to the library now, thanks!"

"Take care tiny one, you still have to decorate this dump for me!"

"I will! Sometime soon!"

Byron fished his mobile phone out of his pockets when the blonde left the gym and dialled his brothers number… to no response… As usual, that irresponsible guy was no way to be contacted. To send emails to half of Sinnoh then it is… The Canalave gym leader exited his own domains, chained the door shut and left towards his own home, enveloped in his cloak from the chilling cold.

***

Jaime was already with his nose buried deep within the ancient tomes of the top floor of the Canalave library. Though his concentration wasn't near one hundred percent due to a certain pair of trainers popping up in his mind, he really couldn't believe the lovey-dovey retards hadn't thought about it already.

The temperature changes, absurd and brusque, in Sinnoh, that reeked of what happened years ago when the psycho's from team galactic tried to alter space-time somehow and who knows what for… Jaime was too young when it happened and had no real clue of what team galactic wanted or how they were planning to get it, but… before they summoned Dialga, Palkia and the renegade Giratina, their operations had caused similar effects troughout Sinnoh. "Let them eat their faces if they want, they have no clue of how much is at risk here… psch, and they are supposed to be more mature? Don't make me puke" he thought savagely.

He was shaken out of his thoughts though, by a hand that grabbed his shoulder, he spun with irritation to find himself diving in deep green eyes so similar to his own… only these had green hair to match.

Jaime's mouth opened to form an round, comical "O" in surprise.

"Drew, fancy seeing you here…"

"Not as much as you Jaime, what are you doing here?"

"Oh… just, killing some time while the others wait for… who knows what in the boat"

Drew's smile turned devilish. "Killing time with reading sessions? Mi dear coordinator companion, an attractive lad such as yourself can surely find better ways of letting the hours slip past" He muttered while approaching his face to Jaime's neck, making him quiver as he felt the older coordinator's breath on his sensitive skin.

"Drew?" Jaime's voice trembled in a mix of expectation and sheer surprise.

"An excess of words Jaime, let's get down to the acts" Drew murmured in Jaime's ear as he took a bite of the earlobe, making Jaime twitch. But when the blonde opened his mouth to protest and ask what the hell was up, he found his lips sealed by Drew's and… boy was it good, he certainly was experienced. And with a vague image in his head of Gary and Ash doing the same somewhere in the boat, Jaime gave himself away to pleasure and a moment of blissful forgettery.

***

"Wow, the smell of old literature always manages to touch me you know?" The gray haired man asked his beautiful companion blonde haired companion. Her silvery-grey eyes twinkled in joy.

"I know, it happens to me whenever I step here too… the feeling of being surrounded by the wisdom of ages… it's so magical" Cynthia said.

Steven grabbed her waist delicately and dragged her into a kiss.

"Still, this feeling is nothing compared to what I get when I look at you and notice for the umpteenth time how beautiful you are"

Cynthia was loving the whole thing but she slipped away and made for the stairs.

"Come on Steven, we have work to do" she cooed the Hoenn champion.

The both of them climbed up to the top floors, admiring the vast quantity of wisdom written around them, but the mythological texts they had come to study where up in the top floor, Cynthia remembered when she used to join with professor Rowan in that very same place to share theories about the origin of Sinnoh. But those days were long over. The professor and former Champion of the Sinnoh League had disappeared and gone into hiding, leaving only a brief note to his beloved successor to not go looking for him, as it would only endanger them both. And now, all she could do was try to stop this mess, and pray for her master to be safe.

The young couple reached the top, and started looking at the shelves for something that might be interesting. Steven's attention, however, was caught by something else. Two boys were making out furiously in one of the tables saved for studying. Obviously they were to busy to notice that somebody else had intruded in the top floor. About to make a small cough or something to inform of his presence, Steven froze however.

The green haired boy that was on top of the blonde one had made a move towards the blondes neck, who sharply arched his back from the table and moaned with his eyes shut, thrusting his face forwards and exposing his visage, that though covered partially with his sleek silvery hair was still recognizable to Steven.

The Hoenn Champion nudged Cynthia who had remained oblivious to everything reading the spines of books and pointed out the scene to her.

"Say, Cynthia isn't they fair haired one a relative of yours?"

Cynthia's mouth fell open and she came from behind the shelf with a book still gripped firmly in her hand.

"Cousing Jaime?"

The two boys froze. The green haired one separated his groin from the blonde's and stepped back, the blonde incorporated looking flushed and stared at his cousin with his green eyes wide.

"Hey there Cynthia… Don't tell brother will you?" He squeaked.


End file.
